On November 21, 2024, members of Jatiyabadi Chatra Dal (JCD), the student wing of the Bangladesh National Party, and Islami Chhatra Shibir (Shibir), the student wing of Bangadesh Jamaat-e-Islami, clashed at Chattogram Polytechnic College. The clash injured several students and caused damage to college buildings.

The clash broke out after the college’s administration released a list of students assigned to rooms in a student hostel. Students at the college had previously demanded that rooms be allocated equally so that no single group would be able to exert control over the hostel.

It was not clear which group initiated the clash. Both JCD and Shabir claimed that the other group was responsible for assaulting students. Between four and seven students were injured.

College authorities announced that the institution would be closed until November 28 following the clash.

Scholars at Risk is concerned about violent attacks on campus by students against other students for their affiliation with a student group. Students must refrain from violence, especially on campus, and respect the right to freedom of association and freedom of expression, and university authorities must take reasonable measures to ensure safe living conditions for students. In addition to harm to the immediate victims, violent attacks on students undermine academic freedom and democratic society generally.

Sources:
*SAR identified this incident in data made publicly available by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED)
https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/4-hurt-jcd-shibir-clash-ctg-polytechnic-college-3758681
https://www.newagebd.net/post/politics/250889/7-injured-as-jcd-shibir-clash-at-ctg-polytechnic-instt
https://www.instagram.com/sozoo.today/p/DCpQnD-yoje/