March 2023 Rajshahi University unrest explained

On the evening of 11 March 2023, clashes between students of Rajshahi University and local businesspersons occurred in Binodpur on the outskirts of the university campus in Rajshahi, Bangladesh. The clashes started over a mere issue of argument about bus fare between a university student and bus authority- where locals got engaged.^[2] The clashes injured hundreds of students, meanwhile, dozens of vendors were burnt along with the local police post.^[3] The clashes were later surpassed by law-enforcement agencies around midnight.^[4] Traffic was closed on the Rajshahi-Dhaka Highway and rail communication was interrupted due to students' blockade.^{[5] [6] [7] [8]}

The next day, students of the university staged protests regarding the clashes.^{[9] [10]} They sieged and locked up the university's major administrative buildings and announced not to end the movement until their demands are met.^{[11] [12]} Journalists were also attacked while covering the protests.^[13] Rajshahi's rail communication was closed again after the students vandalized railtrack. Although, the protests later became subsided and RU's VC Golam Shabbir Sattar announced the withdrawal of protests by students in a press conference on 13 March.^[14]

Rajshahi University closed classes for two days due to the unrest. Meanwhile, peaceful movements continued, and it later became clear how the involvement of the Chhatra League in the incident provoked the unrest.^[15]

Notes and References

1. Web site: 12 March 2023 . 87 RU students admitted to hospital, one in ICU . 12 March 2023 . Prothom Alo English . en.
2. Web site: 11 March 2023 . রাজশাহী বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ে শিক্ষার্থী-ব্যবসায়ী সংঘর্ষ . Students-businessmen clash in Rajshahi University . 11 March 2023 . . bn.
3. Web site: 11 March 2023 . পুলিশ ফাঁড়ি ও দোকানে আগুন দিলেন বিক্ষুব্ধ রাবি ছাত্ররা . Police post and vendors set on fire by angry RU students . 12 March 2023 . . en.
4. Web site: 12 March 2023 . রাজশাহী বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ে সংঘর্ষ থেমেছে, বিজিবি মোতায়েন . Clashes ended in Rajshahi University, BGB deployed . 12 March 2023 . . bn.
5. Web site: 12 March 2023 . রেললাইনে রাবি শিক্ষার্থীদের আগুন, ঢাকা-রাজশাহী রেল যোগাযোগ বন্ধ . RU students set fire on railtrack, Dhaka-Rajshahi rail communication closed . 2023-03-12 . The Daily Star Bangla . en.
6. Web site: 12 March 2023 . রেলপথ অবরোধ রাবি শিক্ষার্থীদের, ক্লাস-পরীক্ষা বন্ধ ঘোষণা . RU students block railway, class-exam announced closed . 12 March 2023 . . bn.
7. Web site: Sakib . Syed . 11 March 2023 . এবার রাজশাহী রেলপথ অবরোধ করেছে শিক্ষার্থীরা . This time students siege Rajshahi railway . 12 March 2023 . . bn.
8. Web site: 12 March 2023 . রাবিতে সংঘর্ষ: রাজশাহীর সঙ্গে সারা দেশের রেল যোগাযোগ স্বাভাবিক . Clash in RU: Rail communication of Rajshahi with the whole country now normal . 12 March 2023 . . bn.
9. Web site: 11 March 2023 . ৩ ঘণ্টা ধরে রাজশাহী-ঢাকা মহাসড়কে যান চলাচল বন্ধ . Traffic closed in Rajshahi-Dhaka Highway for 3 hours . 12 March 2023 . . bn.
10. Web site: 12 March 2023 . রাবির প্রধান ফটকের সামনে থেমে থেমে আগুন, রাজশাহী-ঢাকা মহাসড়ক বন্ধ . Fires set intermittently in front of RU main gate, Rajshahi-Dhaka Highway closed . 12 March 2023 . . bn.
11. Web site: 12 March 2023 . RU students lock up administrative building demanding justice for attack . 12 March 2023 . . en.
12. Web site: 12 March 2023 . অবরুদ্ধ থেকে যে কৌশলে বেরিয়ে গেলেন রাবির ভিসি . How RU's VC got out of the blockade . 12 March 2023 . . bn.
13. Web site: 12 March 2023 . RU students lock admin building following clash with locals, police; journalists attacked . 12 March 2023 . . en.
14. Web site: 13 March 2023 . অবশেষে রাবি শিক্ষার্থীদের আন্দোলন প্রত্যাহার . At last RU students withdraw protests . 13 March 2023 . . bn.
15. Web site: 12 March 2023 . রাবি শিক্ষার্থীদের সাথে স্থানীয়দের সংঘর্ষ : আহত ৩ শতাধিক . Locals clash with RU students: more than 3 hundred injured . 12 March 2023 . . bn.