Bangladesh university shut after gunbattle

DHAKA, May 14 : A gunfight triggered by ''teasing'' of a woman student in Bangladesh has killed one student, wounded 15 and forced the closure of a university, police today said.

The fighting was sparked by an incident on Friday whenyoung men from Shahjalal Science and Technology University inthe northeastern town of Sylhet ''taunted and made vulgarcomments at a girl'', a police officer said.

The woman was from a private medical college. Her friends protested and demanded the university punish the offenders.

''A gunbattle involving students from both campuses erupted around midnight (Friday) and continued till early yesterday, in which at least 15 students were wounded,'' one Sylhet official said.

One person died in a Dhaka hospital today, setting offfresh violence on the university campus. Protesters attacked the home of the university's vice-chancellor and demanded he resign.

Officials said the university had closed indefinitely.

''The situation is still very tense,'' said a police officer today.

Teasing, if proved, is punishable by six months in prison in the mainly Muslim Bangladesh, legal officials said.

Reuters