Clashes between Dhaka College students and New Markets shopkeepers have left at least 50 people injured.
Along with students and store workers, the victims include pedestrians, street hawkers and journalists, according to bystanders and hospitals, reports bdnews24.com.
At least 50 injured people were treated at Dhaka Medical College Hospital while a student was taken to Square Hospital.
An argument between storekeepers and Dhaka College students late on Monday night triggered a series of clashes between the two sides.
The two camps clashed for nearly two and a half hours at night before police dispersed them using tear shells and rubber bullets.
The clashes resumed on Tuesday morning and continued until the evening, turning the New Market area into a skirmish zone.
Among the injured are Sazzad, Selim, Raju, Kawsar, Rahad, Alif, Yasin, Rubel and journalist Asif — all identified by a single name —and SATV cameraman Kabir Hossain.
DMCH Emergency Department physician Dr Md Alauddin said several people received serious injuries to their heads and were sent to the neurosurgery department. The others were being treated in the emergency department
Inspector Bacchu Mia of the hospital’s police outpost said four people, including a student and three shopkeepers, were admitted to the DMCH.
The student is 22-year old Kanan Chowdhury. Two of the shop workers were also identified by single name as Morsalin, 22, and Yasin, 23. Another injured shop worker was about 23 years of age.
Morsalin and the unidentified shop worker was receiving treatment for severe injuries, he said.
Another student, Mosharraf Hossain was rushed to Square Hospital during the skirmish at night.
He is under intensive care at the hospital, Police’s New Market unit Additional Deputy Commissioner Shahen Shah confirmed.
The series of clashes further crippled Dhaka’s already slow traffic in mid-Ramadan.