United News of Bangladesh

At least five people were killed and 10 others injured in a fierce clash between two groups over occupying Jaglar Char in Hatiya upazila of Noakhali district on Tuesday. Police said the incident occurred around 10:00 am in the char along the border of Wards 7 and 8 of Sukchar union. Three of the deceased have been identified as Samsuddin, his son Mobarak, and Alauddin, 40, son of Mohiuddin. Further details about the victims could not be gathered yet. Locals said several hundred landless families currently live on Jaglar Char, as nearly half of it is owned by the government while the rest is controlled by a private group. For years, an armed group allegedly led by Farid Member, also known as Farid Commander of Hironni union, and former chairman Mushfiq, had been controlling the char and its newly formed land. The group reportedly sold lands on the char to landless people at around Tk 20,000–30,000 per acre. On Tuesday morning, an armed group of 30-40 people, led by Kauya Kamal, Alauddin, and Nizam Member, attempted to seize control of the char. Sensing the move, supporters of Farid and Mushfiq, armed with lethal weapons, attacked their rivals, leaving four dead on the spot and several others injured. Of the injured, Alauddin was rushed to Noakhali General Hospital, where physicians declared him dead. Samsuddin, his son Mobarak, and two others from Farid and Mushfiq’s group were found dead at the scene. Officer-in-charge of Hatiya Police Md Saiful Alam said five people were killed in the clash and it took considerable time to control the situation due to the remote location of the char. Along with Coast Guard and Navy personnel, additional police forces have been deployed in the area to prevent further incidents, he added.

More than a hundred people were injured in a series of clashes between students of private Daffodil International University and City University in Savar, following a trivial incident that escalated from Sunday night to early Monday. Several structures of the institutions were vandalised, and eight to ten vehicles were set on fire.  A tense situation was prevailing in the area as of filing this report at 10:30am. Witnesses said the incident began around 7pm on Sunday in the Khagan area of Savar when a Daffodil student walking past Bachelor Paradise was accidentally hit by saliva spat on the road by a City University student. A heated argument ensued between them, leading to a scuffle. Although the situation was temporarily calmed, tensions soon spread across both campuses. Later, City University students allegedly attacked the Bachelor Paradise residence, which houses Daffodil University students, causing damage to valuables. Barishal University suspends four students over football match clash Despite several emergency meetings held throughout the night by university administrations and student representatives in an effort to resolve the matter, tensions continued to rise. Around midnight, a group of Daffodil students, equipped with homemade weapons, retaliated by attacking City University. They broke through the main gate and vandalised several offices, including those of the Vice-Chancellor, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, and Registrar, as well as the conference room, computer lab, accounts office, and other facilities. Besides, eight to 10 vehicles were set ablaze, and valuables were looted during the attack. The violence, which continued until around 4am, left over a hundred students injured.  Of them, 30–35 were admitted to hospitals in Savar and Dhaka for treatment. Following the clashes, several nearby universities, schools and colleges remained closed on Monday. Officer-in-Charge Jewel Mia of Savar Police Station told UNB that additional police and other law enforcement personnel have been deployed, and the situation is currently under control.  However, he said,  tensions remain high among students on the campuses.