One dead, 50 injured in student clash in Bangladesh

A student activist was killed and around 50 others injured in a clash between two student political groups at Rajshahi University (RU) in Bangladesh' s Rajshahi district on Monday night, according to the university sources Tuesday.

The activists from Islami Chhatra Shibir, the student front of Bangladesh's biggest Islamic party Jamaat-e-Islami, which was the key partner of former Prime Minister Khaleda's government, carried out attacks on supporters of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the student wing of the ruling party Awami League, at different halls of the university, the sources said.

The clashes erupted following a dispute over establishing political supremacy between the two groups.

"Suddenly, they swooped on BCL supporters at different dormitories, triggering the violent clashes," said a witness of the clash.

Shibir cadres also launched attack and damaged a police van. Four policemen were injured when trying to resist the attackers.

Police fired a barrage of tear gas shells and rubber bullets to contain the raging violence, the sources said.

The attacks caused panic all around the university, according to private news agency UNB.

At least 17 injured BCL men were admitted to hospital in critical condition.

Later, police recovered one body of a BCL supporter in front of a dormitory at about 6:30 a.m. Tuesday.

The BCL sources claimed at least four BCL supporters were missing after the attacks.

Meanwhile, the RU resident students started leaving their dormitories following the deadly campus violence.

Police forces were deployed in and around Rajshahi University and nearby areas to fend off violence.

Source: Xinhua