At least 200 students were injured in an overnight clash between two private universities, City University and Daffodil International University, at Savar, on the outskirts of the capital.
The clash occurred at about 9:00pm on Sunday and ended at about 2:00am Monday.
Of the injured students, 25 were given treatment at a private hospital at Savar, while the remaining ones were given first aid, officials at the universities said.
The students of Daffodil International University allegedly stormed into the City University campus, vandalised vehicles and several office rooms on the campus and set fire to them.
City University authorities on Monday announced that all academic activities of the university would remain closed between October 28 and November 4.
According to the police, students and officials of the universities, the unrest erupted in the Khagan area of Ashulia when a City University student allegedly spat near a group of Daffodil students and some of the spit landed on one of them.
After a brief argument there, around 50 City University students, armed with sticks, bricks and sharp weapons, attacked a nearby Daffodil students鈥� hostel known as 鈥楤achelor Paradise Hostel鈥�, and vandalised rooms there, witnesses said.
Video footage of the attack spread rapidly on social media, prompting hundreds of Daffodil students to rush to the area.
In retaliation, the students of Daffodil advanced towards the City University campus, hurled bricks at the campus and locked in a clash with City University students. The clash continued for hours.
Witnesses said that several crude bombs had exploded during the clash.
At one stage, Daffodil University students stormed into the City University premises, set fire to three university buses and a private car.
Another bus, two cars, a motorcycle, the canteen, and the rooms of the vice-chancellor, pro vice-chancellor, accounts section and parts of the administrative building on the campus were also vandalised during the clashes.
Daffodil University鈥檚 proctor Sheikh Muhammad Aliar claimed that at least 150 of their students were injured, while City University鈥檚 proctor Professor Abu Zayed claimed that at least 50 of their students were injured during the clashes.
11 students of Daffodil University were caught from City University campus at about 6:00am on Monday and City University students kept them confined on the campus, alleging that they had entered the campus to carry out vandalism.
The DIU director of external affairs, Syed Mizanur Rahman, said that the students were released at about 3:00pm on Monday.
City University officials claimed that laptops, desktops, money in cash and important documents were looted or destroyed during the clash.
City University vice-chancellor Brigadier General (retired) Md Lutfor Rahman claimed that the damage was estimated between Tk 50 crore and Tk 100 crore.
鈥極ur offices, computers and records were destroyed, and several facilities, including the canteen, were set on fire,鈥� he said. 鈥榃e are seeking an administrative solution rather than pursuing legal action.鈥�
On Monday morning, senior officials from Daffodil International University visited the City University campus and pledged to compensate for the losses.
Bimal Chandra Das, dean of the faculty of science and information technology at Daffodil, apologised on behalf of the university and assured that students involved would be brought under disciplinary action.
鈥榃e will investigate how the students obtained arms and crude bombs,鈥� he said.
Classes and examinations at both universities remained suspended on Monday.
Extra police forces were deployed in the area and students evacuated their hostels in fear of further clashes.
Syed Mizanur Rahman, director of external affairs at Daffodil International University, described the violence as 鈥榓 misunderstanding that spiralled out of control鈥�.
鈥楢 simple apology could have resolved it,鈥� he said. 鈥楤oth sides are our students, and we鈥檙e working to restore calm.鈥�
Savar police station inspector (operations) Helal Uddin said that the situation was now under control.
鈥楴o case has been filed and no arrests have been made,鈥� he said.
City University students blocked the Savar鈥揂shulia Road Monday afternoon, demanding justice and compensation for the incident.
