Academic and administrative activities at City University and Daffodil International University have been suspended following an overnight clash between students of the two private institutions at Savar, on the outskirts of Dhaka.
The clash that began at about 9:00pm on Sunday and ended at about 2:00am on Monday left more than 200 students of the universities injured and vehicles and offices severely damaged.
City University authorities have announced the closure of all academic activities between October 28 and November 4, while Daffodil International University authorities said that classes and administrative work would resume on November 1.
Of the injured students, at least 50 are now under treatment at different hospitals. Five DIU students are now in the Intensive Care Unit at Enam Medical College Hospital in Savar, officials said.
City University vice-chancellor Brigadier General (retired) Md Lutfor Rahman blamed DIU students for attacking his university and claimed that the amount of the losses would be around Tk 20 crore.
DIU vice-chancellor Professor MR Kabir, however, rejected the allegations and accused City University students of confining and assaulting their students before beginning the violence.
He also termed City University鈥檚 claim of missing Tk 1.5 crore in cash 鈥榠ntentional misinformation鈥�.
DIU director of external affairs, Syed Mizanur Rahman, claimed that the confined DIU students were 鈥榖eaten to a near-unconscious state鈥� before being handed over to a University Grants Commission delegation on Monday afternoon.
By Tuesday afternoon, the situation around Ashulia鈥檚 Khagan area had calmed, though police maintained a presence to avert further violence.
DIU authorities pledged cooperation in assessing City University鈥檚 damages and assisting in compensation.
Savar police station officer-in-charge Mohammad Jewel Mia said on Tuesday evening that the situation was now under control.
鈥楴o case was filed and none was arrested,鈥� he said.
The clash reportedly began Sunday evening over an altercation, after spittle from a City University student allegedly landed on a Daffodil student.
