News Flash
DHAKA, July 14, 2025 (BSS) - On July 15 last year, workers of Bangladesh Chhatra League (now banned student wing of fascist Awami League) attacked protesters who were demanding quota reform in public jobs across the country including on Dhaka University (DU) campus, leaving at least 400 injured.
The BCL activists carried out a series of coordinated attacks on the protesters under the banner of anti-discrimination student movement nationwide throughout the day and night on July 15.
At least 300 people, mostly protesters including female students, were injured on DU campus alone as the BCL activists even swooped on demonstrators at the emergency department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) in that evening.
Besides, student protesters at Jahangirnagar University, Jagannath University, Eden Mohila College, Rajshahi University, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology in Sylhet and Chittagong University also came under BCL attack for time and again on the day. At least 60 students were reportedly injured there.
The BCL attack came a day after now ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina came down heavily on the protesting students demanding quota system reform in government jobs and about two hours after Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader said BCL would give a befitting reply to those students who labelled themselves as Razakars and showed arrogance.
Earlier on the night of July 14, agitating students protested Sheikh Hasina's remarks "If the grandchildren of the freedom fighters don't get quota benefits, should the grandchildren of Razakars get the benefit?" and chanted slogans like "Cheyechhilam odhikhar, hoye gelam Razakar", "Tumi ke? Ami ke? Razakar, Razakar!" and "Ke bolechhe, Ke bolechhe, Sairachar, Sairachar".
Following Obaidul Quader's remarks, BCL Central President Saddam Hossain had also declared to face the protesters on the fields, who chanted slogan "Ami ke tumi ke, Razakar Razakar "in the name of quota reform movement."
On the same day, Sheikh Hasina condemned the use of "Tumi Ke Ami Ke, Razakar!, Razakar!' slogan by quota protesters as shameful.
On DU campus on July 15, the student protesters under the banner of anti-discrimination student movement had announced a rally in front of the Raju Memorial Sculpture at noon to protest the PM's remarks and attacks on them at different universities on the night of July 14.
But BCL also announced a rally there at 3pm to protest "the students' derogatory comments on the country's independence".
The quota reforms demonstrators, however, started gathering at Raju Memorial Sculpture around noon while a group of students went to different halls to mobilise more students around 2:30pm.
When the students reached Bijoy Ekattor Hall around 3pm, some BCL members threw brick chunks and flower pots at them from inside.
As the news of the attack spread, demonstrators from Raju Memorial Sculpture rushed to the hall and retaliated by throwing brick chunks at the BCL members.
Around 3:30pm, BCL activists took position inside the hall while the demonstrators were in front of the dormitory while both of the groups were throwing brick chunks at each other.
At one stage, BCL activists from five nearby dorms rushed out and along with their fellows inside Bijoy Ekattor Hall chased the demonstrators while the demonstrators retreated to the area in front of DU vice-chancellor's residence.
Moment later, BCL activists including outsiders attacked the demonstrators, including female students.
Hundreds of BCL activists clad in helmet and armed with sticks and iron rods chased down the protesting students, kicked and beat up them across the campus.
As panic spread, protesters ran in different directions. Some of them took shelter in parked buses, from which BCL activists dragged them out and beat them. Central BCL, DU unit, seven-college unit and city unit activists roamed the campus with weapons.
Around 6:30 pm, BCL launched further assaults on injured students who were receiving treatment at DMCH and the then Sheikh Hasina Burn Institute while several crude bombs were reportedly exploded in front of Shahidullah Hall.
Hasnat Abdullah, a key-coordinator of the movement, had reacted immediately and said, "Over 500 students came under BCL attacks. Even after we brought the injured to the hospital, BCL men continued attacking us and hurled cocktails. The police did nothing. This was a pre-planned assault. We strongly condemn and protest the attack."
To address the situation, DU Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr ASM Maksud Kamal held an emergency meeting with hall provosts. After the meeting, he announced that provosts would stay in the dormitories overnight to ensure student safety.
To maintain law and order, members of law enforcement agencies were deployed across the DU campus in the evening. From 7pm, a joint team of Armed Police Battalion and other law enforcement agencies started operations from Doel Chattar.
From 10pm, BCL activists reportedly searched students' phones and beat them up in DU residential halls, including AF Rahman Hall, Bijoy Ekattor Hall, Surja Sen Hall and Zahurul Haque Hall. Students were checked for links to the quota reform protests and beaten if found involvement.
At Jahangirnagar University (JU), BCL activists first attacked the quota reform protesters in the evening on July 15 near Bangabandhu Hall, injuring many students.
Protesters later gathered in front of the VC's residence and were staging a sit-in there protesting the earlier attacks on students on the campus that injured at least 60 students.
But BCL activists along with armed outsiders attacked the protesters in front of the VC's residence around midnight in the presence of police personnel.
At one stage, when the protesters took shelter inside the VC's residence, BCL activists threw brickbats.
Later, as the news of the attack spread, thousands of general students from all residential halls came out to protest the BCL men. Facing their resistance, BCL activists fled the campus on that night.
At Eden Mohila College, BCL female activists attacked protesting students during a rally against the remarks made by now ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. As students began marching, clashes broke out with BCL leaders. The main gate was locked to prevent students from leaving, but some broke through and headed towards DU's Raju Memorial Sculpture.
At least five students of Jagannath University were injured in clashes between BCL and protesters on the campus.
At Chattogram University, BCL attacked protesters twice injuring at least 10 students.
At Rajshahi University, BCL activists attacked leaders of left-leaning student organizations in front of the Mamatajuddin Arts Building, injuring several students. In Jashore's MM College, BCL assaulted a protest rally as it approached the DC office.
However, protesting the BCL attack on the quota reform protesters, student of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology submitted a memorandum to their proctor demanding punishment of BCL attackers and protection for students.
Besides, students from several private universities blocked roads at Noton Bazar and Kuril Bishwa Road in the capital Dhaka.
Students of Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Cumilla University, Khulna University and Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) held protest rallies and processions.
Protesting the BCL attacks and calling for justice, Nahid Islam, a key coordinator of the anti-discrimination student movement, announced mass protest rallies at all campuses across the country at 3pm on July 16. He also called upon the people from all walks of life to join the movement in solidarity.
At 9:30pm, Nahid Islam made the announcement, saying, "We reject and condemn the Prime Minister's statement. She must apologize for such remarks."
