Police fired tear gas, sound grenades, and used water cannons on Jagannath University (JnU) students as they marched toward the Chief Adviser’s residence in support of their three-point demand.
The incident, which also injured several teachers, occurred around 11:45 AM on Wednesday (May 14) at the Kakrail intersection in Segunbagicha, Dhaka.
One student, Samiul Rahman, who was injured by a tear shell, said, “The police attacked our peaceful demonstration with tear gas and sound grenades. I was directly hit by a tear shell.”
The situation escalated further when police blocked the students at Gulistan around 12:15 PM, but students and teachers pushed through the barricade to continue their march.
The day before, on Tuesday (May 13), a delegation of students and teachers met with the University Grants Commission (UGC), but as they did not receive a satisfactory response, the student movement—under the banner of "July Unity," a coalition of various political, cultural, and social groups at the university—announced a long march toward Jamuna.
The students` three-point demand:
Until dormitory facilities are ensured, 70% of JnU students must receive housing allowances starting from the 2025–26 fiscal year.
The proposed full budget for Jagannath University for the 2025–26 fiscal year must be approved without cuts.
The second campus of Jagannath University must be approved at the next ECNEC meeting and implemented as a priority project.
Among the demonstrators were faculty members including Teachers’ Association President Md. Mosharraf Hossain, General Secretary Dr. Md. Rois Uddin, Joint Secretary Md. Belal Hossain, and Proctor Dr. Muhammad Tajammul Haque. Also present were student leaders from various organizations including Mehedi Hasan Himel (Chhatra Dal), Shamsul Arefin, Asadul Islam (Chhatra Shibir), Riazul Islam, Abdul Wahid and Ashiqur Rahman Akash (Islami Chhatra Andolan), and AKM Rakib and Raihan Hasan Rabbii (Gonodhikar Parishad), as well as students from multiple departments.
