A torch procession organized by the Democratic Student Alliance in protest of the acquittal of Jamaat-e-Islami leader ATM Azharul Islam in a war crimes case turned violent at Rajshahi University a on Tuesday night.
Left-leaning student leaders accused activists of Islami Chhatra Shibir, operating under the banner of the ‘Anti-Shahbagh Alliance’, of launching an attack during the rally.
Five individuals were injured in the clashes, including four leftist student leaders and a journalist. Shibir also claimed some of their members were injured.
The confrontation began around 8:10 PM near the university’s Paris Road, when Shibir activists allegedly charged at the rally with chairs and brickbats.
The clash escalated as the torch rally moved forward. Both groups engaged in altercations again near the Shaheed Buddhijibi Memorial area.
Shibir leaders claimed their rally was a response to the 2013 Shahbagh protests and alleged political bias in past war crimes verdicts.
They also denied organizing the violence directly, saying their members were part of a broader alliance.
Later in the evening, BNP-backed Chhatra Dal held a protest march demanding campus safety and chanting slogans against Shibir’s presence.
Separately, the Democratic Student Alliance staged a sit-in at the administration building, demanding the resignation of the university proctor, accusing the administration of enabling the attack. They chanted slogans against the proctor and the campus administration.
The university`s proctor acknowledged that both groups blamed each other and said the administration was reviewing the situation for further action.
