At least 30 people, including madrasa students and police personnel, were injured in a clash at the Brahmanbaria Police Lines following a dispute over loud music at a cultural programme.
The incident occurred at around 11:30pm Tuesday inside the Police Lines in Paschim Medda area of the town, disrupting the district police’s cultural programme.
The injured received treatment at Brahmanbaria District Sadar Hospital, Brahmanbaria Medical in Ghatura and other hospitals. Five of them were admitted to hospitals, while others received primary treatment.
Police, madrasa students and local residents said the district police organised the programme to mark the visit of Chattogram Range DIG Abdul Quddus Chowdhury and his wife, PUNAK adviser Sidaratul Muntaha, to Brahmanbaria. The programme was organised with the assistance of JASAS.
As loud music was being played at the event, students of the nearby Darul Arqam Madrasa went to the Police Lines and requested that the volume be lowered, triggering an argument.
Later, more than 100 madrasa students entered the Police Lines, where tensions escalated and an attack took place during the cultural programme. Police resorted to baton charges to bring the situation under control, while the students allegedly threw stones at police.
Several madrasa students said they had an examination at the madrasa on Wednesday and were disturbed by the loud music. They claimed that after initially lowering the volume, the organisers raised it again, leading to an argument with police.
The students demanded exemplary action over the incident and threatened tougher protests if their demands were not met.
Later, a meeting between the two sides was held at Jamia Islamia Yunusia Madrasa from around 2am to 4am Wednesday, following which the situation returned to normal.
Brahmanbaria District Council Administrator Sirajul Islam, who attended the meeting, said Police Superintendent Shah Md Abdur Rauf expressed regret over the incident, attributing it to a misunderstanding.
He said, quoting police officials, that three policemen deployed at the main gate of the Police Lines had been withdrawn.
A three-member investigation committee, headed by Additional Superintendent of Police (Administration) Md Obaydur Rahman, has also been formed to investigate the incident, he added.