Students clash with police, demand withdrawal of army camp

Dhaka, Aug 21 (UNI) Violence broke out in Dhaka University campus and adjoining areas today as angry students clashed with police and set ablaze several passing vehicles demanding a pull out of an army camp from the university compound.

The army camp was set up in the campus after a state of emergency was declared on January 11 to quell any student agitation.

Campus sources said several thousand students armed with sticks defied police barricades and indiscriminately damaged 20-25 buses and cars at Shahbagh, Nilkhet and New Market. They also burnt an army jeep in front of Aziz Super Market in central Dhaka.

Police retaliated by bursting barrage of tear gas shells to disperse the agitating students, injuring several students, police and press photographers.

Despite assurance from acting Vice-Chancellor Prof A F M Yusuf Haider that the army camp would be withdrawn, the students staged demonstration outside the Vice-Chancellor's residence and burnt a university van and broke the main gate of the VC's residence.

The protestors also burnt several effigies of government figures and shouted slogan against the army-backed caretaker government.

The roads leading to the University campus were blocked for traffic.

Classes and examinations were suspended in the wake of violence as general students declared non-stop strike at the University until the fulfilment of their demand.

University teachers sat for an emergency meeting to review the situation on the campus. The violence first erupted yesterday afternoon when some army personnel beat up a student and also humiliated a teacher of the university during a football match at the University's central playground.

Meanwhile, students of Jahangirnagar University, Jagannath University and Dhaka College boycotted their classes today and staged street protests expressing solidarity with Dhaka University students.

It is considered to be a major student protest since Chief Advisor Fakhruddin's caretaker government assumed the office on January 12 this year. Dhaka University is the best university of the country and also as cradle of student political movement.

UNI