Agri University: 20 students sued for attack on police

Twenty students of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, along with many unnamed others, were sued on charges of demonstrating unlawfully in front of the campus and assaulting police.

Sub-Inspector Akhtaruzzaman of Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station filed the case on July 21, ten days after the incident.

The students who have been named in the case as accused are Tawhid Ahmed Ashique, Ahmedul Kabir Taposh, Md Raihan, Sourav, Shahriar, Mohaiminul, Ahsan Habib, Anas, Sagar, Imran, Ahsan Habib, Wasiul Islam, Mujahidul Islam Shuvo, Altaf, Selim Reza, Nur Islam, Asif, Rifat, Shakib, and Mridul.

According to the case statement, students demanding reform to the quota system in government jobs blocked the road in front of Gate-2 of the university on July 11.

When police went to the spot to control the situation, students allegedly started throwing brickbats at them. At that time, several police personnel were injured. At one stage, police chased the protesters and dispersed them, it added.

As of yet, no arrests have been made in the case, Sub-Inspector SM Al Mamun of Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station, also the case's investigating officer, told The Daily Star yesterday.

According to recent statements by some government high-ups, students would not be harassed for participating in the quota reform protests unless they were involved in attacks on government establishments.

This year's quota protests started on July 1 and were held peacefully till July 15, when Chhatra League activists attacked quota protesters on the Dhaka University campus. The attack led to fierce clashes on the campus, leaving scores injured -- mostly protesters, including female students.