Hundreds of students from various colleges gathered on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway as part of a planned shutdown announced the previous day. They started gathering on the highway starting at 11am on Tuesday. During the protest, some demonstrators beat up two leaders of the Chhatra League and set fire to their motorcycles.
Meanwhile, many commuters were seen walking to their destinations as all traffic on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway came to a standstill. The protesting students said they want justice for fellow students who had lost their lives during previous protests.
Mohammad Abu Bakar Siddique, officer-in-charge of Siddhirganj police station, said: “The students set fire to two motorcycles. We are discussing with them to prevent any further disturbances." The road from Aminbazar to Gabtoli has also been blocked following a chase counter-chase between quota reform protesters, members of the Chhatra League and the police.
After police fired tear gas shells, the students from different private universities moved away from the main road and took positions in different lanes in the area on Thursday. Earlier in the day, students demanding quota reform clashed with police in Merul Badda, near Brac University.
The confrontation began at around 11am, when police attempted to disperse the protesters firing tear gas shells. The skirmish halted traffic in the Merul Badda area, according to media reports. Heavy police presence was observed across Dhaka, and the number of vehicles and pedestrians was significantly lower than usual.
The protesters on Wednesday declared a complete shutdown, demanding the end of what they called police brutality against their peaceful student movement, justice for those killed during demonstrations, the assurance of a violence-free campus and a rational reform of the quota system. They announced that during this shutdown, only emergency services, including hospitals and media, would remain operational.