Quota reform: NHRC condemns attack on students

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) today condemned the attack on the students who have been demonstrating in the capital’s Shahbagh demanding reforms in the quota system in public services.

The commission also expressed concern over the incident, said a NHRC press release.

“We learn from different media and social networking sites that Shahbagh intersection turned into a battlefield following police action on the protesting students and sporadic clashes took places between them,” the NHRC said in the release.

Kazi Reazul Hoque, commissioner of the NHRC, urged the authorities concerned to hold talks and resolve the issue as soon as possible.

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He also called upon to the authorities concerned to take action against those people who were involved in the attack on the Dhaka University vice chancellor’s residence.

Yesterday, at least 75 people were injured as police clashed with students demanding reforms in the quota system in public service, turning the capital's Shahbagh intersection and its adjacent areas into a battlefield.

Police fired several hundred teargas shells and rubber bullets, used water cannons and charged batons to disperse the demonstrators who blocked the intersection for over five hours since 2:30pm yesterday.

A section of the protesters broke the main gate of the residence of the Dhaka University vice chancellor around 1:45am today. They vandalised furniture and other belongings, and also torched three cars inside the compound, according to witnesses and fire service personnel.