Fresh clashes have broken out between New Market store workers and Dhaka College students on Tuesday morning after the two sides were involved in a violent confrontation for two and a half hours in the early hours of the day, bdnews24.com reports.
Around 10:30 am, Dhaka College students carrying staffs and rods took to the streets and began throwing brickbats. The store workers then came out, leading to a clash.
“All stores in New Market and its surrounding areas are closed,” said Haldar Ajit Thakur, inspector (operations) at New Market Police Station.
“The students have occupied the road and store workers have gathered in different groups.”
“The two sides are facing off,” said Sajjadur Rahman, deputy commissioner of police. “We are trying to bring the situation under control.”
Dhaka College suspended classes and examinations in the face of the initial confrontation between its students and the shopkeepers.
"Due to unavoidable reasons, all classes and examinations of Dhaka College's higher secondary and honours-masters programmes scheduled for Tuesday, Apr 19 have been suspended. All teachers are requested to be at the college by 10 am,” it said in a notice posted on the college website and its Facebook page.
Several people, including law enforcers, were injured in the initial clash. Police later fired tear gas shells to quell the violence but they could not say what had sparked the skirmish.
The students claimed three of them were shopping at the market when they were assaulted by shopkeepers following an altercation.
Traffic came to a halt in the area as both sides set fire to tyres and other objects on the streets. They also hurled brickbats at each other.