On April 27, 2021, supporters of two factions of the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the student wing of the ruling political party, clashed at Chattogram Medical College (CMC).

While it is unclear what sparked the violence, Sarabangla reports that the opposing factions of the BCL first clashed at a campus cafeteria. Police arrived and dispersed the students, but a couple of hours later, in front of the main gates of CMC, the BCL factions clashed again, chasing and beating each other. At least five people were reportedly injured, including at least two medical interns.

In response to the violence, a group of medical interns started a strike, calling on authorities to bring the assailants to justice. At least 31 individuals, including students and non-students, have reportedly been accused of taking part in the violence.

Scholars at Risk is concerned about violence on campus. While students have a right to freedom of expression and freedom of association, they have an obligation to exercise those rights peacefully and responsibly. Physical violence on campus threatens the safety of members of the campus community and undermines institutional autonomy.

Sources:
*SAR identified this incident in data made publicly available by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED).
https://www.newagebd.net/article/136586/at-least-five-bcl-activists-injured-in-cmc-factional-clash
https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/nation/2021/04/29/patients-suffer-as-cmch-interns-continue-work-abstention
https://www.samakal.com/dhaka/article/210460333/ছাত্রলীগের-দুপক্ষে-সংঘর্ষের-জেরে-চমেক-হাসপাতালে-ইন্টার্ন-চিকিৎসকদের-কর্মবিরতি
https://campustimes.press/article/medical-college/21942
https://sarabangla.net/post/sb-546906/
https://sarabangla.net/post/sb-546041/