Quota protests: 50 hurt as police fire ‘tear gas, rubber bullets’ in Khulna

At least 50 protesters were injured after police allegedly charged batons and fired rubber bullets to disperse a mass procession of quota protesters in front of Khulna University this afternoon.

The protesters, most of them students, alleged that police fired rubber bullets and tear shells on their peaceful procession, reports our Khulna correspondent.

Witnesses said several thousand students tried to gather at the city’s Shibbari intersection around 3:30pm as part of the protests announced by the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement.

However, a heavy presence of law enforcers in the area foiled their attempt. Later, the students gathered at the Shonadanga bus terminal area and marched towards Gollamari area.

When they crossed the Gollamari bridge and started moving towards the university, police intervened forcing them to take position near the local weather office and Zero Point area.

“We were marching peacefully. Police attacked us without any provocation when we passed Gollamari,” said Tanim Mahmud, a protester.

Students alleged that over 50 protesters were hurt as police charged batons and fired tear shells.

The tense situation in the area was tense as of filing this report around 6:00pm.

Kamal Ahmed, a student of the English department at Khulna University, said several of the students sustained rubber bullet injuries.

Of the injured, 8-10 were taken to the university medical centre.

Khulna Metropolitan Police (LMP) Commissioner Md Mozammel Haque told The Daily Star that a large number of students gathered there and some guardians also joined them.

He said police showed restraint but were forced to fire tear shells as the students started throwing brickbats at the law enforcers.

The KMP commissioner, however, denied any injuries caused by the police action.   Daily Star