At least 50 people have been injured in clashes between students and paramilitary personnel in Bangladesh's capital, Dhaka, according to The Daily Star. The violence erupted on Sunday night near the Secretariat, where hundreds of Ansar members, a paramilitary auxiliary force, were protesting for job regularisation.
Ansar members have been conducting various programmes to press for their demands, including the nationalisation of their jobs.
Dhaka University students gathered at the scene after hearing that several of their peers, including student leader Nahid Islam, had been detained by Ansar members. The students reportedly attempted to disperse the Ansar demonstration, which was demanding permanent positions.
During the confrontation, both sides threw bricks and chased each other. Later, members of the Bangladesh Army rushed to the scene and persuaded the Ansar members to withdraw their actions and surrender. Police and army personnel were deployed to control the situation.
Earlier in the day, Ansar members had ended their protest following assurances from Lt Gen (Retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, the interim government's home affairs adviser. However, tensions remained high as the students accused the Ansar force of reneging on the agreement.
Student protest coordinator Hasnat Abdullah took to Facebook, blaming former Ansar director general Maj Gen AKM Aminul Haque for the continued blockade of the Secretariat despite the resolved demands. "The autocratic forces are trying to make a comeback through the Ansar force," Abdullah said. "Even after their demands were met, we were kept locked in the Secretariat."
Meanwhile, Dhaka Metropolitan Police last night banned all rallies, meetings, or demonstrations near the Secretariat and the residence of the chief adviser until further notice.
More than 450 people were killed in Bangladesh-- many by police fire -- during the weeks leading up to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ouster, as crowds stormed her official residence in Dhaka on August 5 and ended her iron-fisted 15-year rule.
