The local administration on Sunday imposed Section 144 in areas surrounding the University of Chittagong after students and villagers got engaged in fresh clashes, leaving hundreds of people, including the university鈥檚 pro vice-chancellor (administration) and proctors, injured.
An official notice signed by Hathazari upazila nirbahi officer and executive magistrate Abdullah Al Mumin said that the order would remain in force from 2:00pm on Sunday till midnight on Monday.
According to the order, around 11:30am on Sunday CU students and local residents confronted each other aggressively and clashed on both sides of the road stretching from the eastern boundary of Gate No 2 bazar to the rail crossing at Fatehpur union. Both sides remained in an offensive mode.
鈥楾o control the situation, protect lives and property, and maintain peace and order, Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, has been imposed on both sides of the road from CU鈥檚 Gate No 2 bazar (east boundary) to the Fatehpur rail crossing from 2:00pm on Sunday till 12:00am on Monday (September 1),鈥� the notification said.
It further stated that all kinds of meetings, rallies, demonstrations, processions and public gatherings are strictly prohibited, as is the carrying of explosives, firearms or locally made weapons. The order also bars the movement or assembly of more than five people together in the restricted area.
Fresh clashes erupted Sunday morning in the same Gate-2 area where at least 60 people had been injured in overnight violence on Saturday. Witnesses said the situation escalated quickly, turning the entire area into a battleground.
By afternoon, law enforcement personnel were deployed under the prohibitory order to prevent further escalation.
