City madrasa ransacked, 25 injured

Damaged wall of the madrasa at Haji Camp Road in the city. PHOTO: STAR

The clash began when the hired men numbering about 60 vandalised the madrasa doors, windows and wall at around 10.30am yesterday, local people said.

The madrasa authorities immediately informed the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) and the police who rushed to the spot, said Anisur Rahman, principal of the madrasa.

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"But the police remained silent while the gang ransacked our structures worth around Tk 10 lakh," he said, adding that the students tried to resist the attackers.

The witnesses said that both the groups fought almost for an hour with whips, bricks, hockey-sticks, bamboos and rods, leaving 25 injured.

Later, Rab brought the situation under control.

Police picked up six people, including two madrasa students from the spot.

The injured who were rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital are Shamim, 20, Abdul Kuddus, 26, Abdul Hakim, 30, Kaikobad, 20, Ashraf, 20, Nasir Billah, 9, Md Emran Hossain, 12, Md, Monjurul Islam, 15, Md Yousuf, 22, Abu Bakar, 18 and Md Kabir Hossan. The rest received treatment at local clinics.

Syed Mustak Hossain Ratan, president of the madrasa, told The Daily Star that two brothers rented the ground floor of the madrasa on February 18, 2002 but they violated the conditions of the deed and encroached around 3,000 square feet.