Quota Reform Protests: Students share what happened at ULAB on July 17

On July 17, at least five students were injured during an attack by leaders and members of the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) in front of the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) campus on Mohammadpur's Beribadh Road. 

Md Rayhan Kabir Shuvro, a student of ULAB, claimed that at around 2:50 pm, students began gathering with the intention of participating in the Quota Reform Movement and were attacked. 

"People of all ages started attacking with rods, hockey sticks, metal pipes, etc. without so much as a conversation. Some of the students were injured, and the attackers forcibly took away phones from the female students and swore at them in obscene language. A student by the name of Anirban Saha was missing for about an hour. I, and a representative of Somoy TV, looked for him at the local police station and were told that nobody from ULAB had been taken into custody. Later on, we were told by witnesses that he was taken by the councillor's men. A local van driver by the name of Abdur Rahman found him injured and sent him home in a pickup," said Shuvro.

Shuvro informed that the attack was done under the command of local Councillor Asif Ahmed Sarker. "Councillor Asif was present at the scene, when I asked him the reason for his being there, he told me he was sitting at the Bot Tola because it was hot and he wanted to catch some wind." 

Samia Islam*, another student of ULAB, stated, "Our protest was supposed to start around 2 pm, but not a lot of people were gathered at that time. I wasn't there myself, but some students had gathered. They weren't protesting at the time, but some police officers stationed there were talking to the students. Just as they were talking to the police, the local councillor, along with some of his men, started attacking the students. Some of the students were beaten up pretty badly. They ran towards the university campus where the guards refused to open the gates. However, someone managed to open the gates from the outside and they were able to enter and take shelter in some nearby friends' places through a different path. After this, we went over to the area from where we were to protest the attack."

Samia also added that the police and a RAB vehicle were stationed nearby, but they did nothing to prevent the attack. "We got into an argument with the police and RAB officers stationed, demanding why they didn't help us when students were being beaten up right in front of them. After this, we were protesting peacefully for one and a half hours, and returned around the evening," she added.

Ibtesham Chowdhury, a student who was present during the attack, narrates his experience when it unfolded, "10 to 15 of us were there; we didn't block the road or start protesting. A while later, a group of school and college students arrived at the place while chanting slogans, and we went to stand with them. When the police arrived, we started talking to them and within 10 minutes, Councillor Asif was at the scene with his men from Chhatra League and Jubo League. He asked about the authorities and demanded to see IDs, and we were attacked during the conversation. We dispersed and took refuge in the campus. One of the students was heavily injured. Five students in total were injured; one of them had their arm displaced."

Ibtesham mentioned that the attackers tried snatching the students' cameras. "When I was attacked, my phone was broken from the impact. But thankfully, my injuries were not particularly serious. We later blockaded the road in protest of attacking students."

Rahat Musannah*, another student who was injured during the attack, shared, "ULAB students organised a movement for quota reformation the day before (July 16). Councillor Asif and his men arrived and directly threatened us to not return the next day. In spite of that, my friends and I went to the scene. Hearing news of our presence, members of BCL from Dhaka Uddan arrived and started beating us. Somehow, we managed to run inside the campus. I fell down, and they took the opportunity to beat me mercilessly. A rickshaw puller and some locals came forward to rescue me and send me home."

Arif Ahmed*, a student who was present during the aftermath of the attack, mentioned that the initial plan was to go to Dhaka University for the Janaza prayer, but they were thwarted. "Some of the students then planned to take position in front of the ULAB Campus and were peacefully protesting. I joined and was informed of the situation regarding the Councillor and his men attacking the students. As I got to the scene, I found the place to be under the control of BCL, and they were chasing away anyone who was there. So I had to return home as there was nobody else, but later on, more students from nearby areas gathered to protest. The police and RAB were all present."

The students of ULAB expressed an intention to continue their movement today (July 18) in front of their campus.

*Names have been changed upon request for privacy