Protesters' procession dispersed by police sound grenades at TSC
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A group of agitators demanding quota reform emerged from the Shahidullah Hall of Dhaka University and moved towards TSC (Teacher-Student Centre). Law enforcement personnel on duty responded by lobbing sound grenades, dispersing the protesters with the loud noise. Despite the dispersion, the agitators regrouped at various spots on the campus, including VC Chattar and Mall Chattar.
Around 12 noon, law enforcement again hurled sound grenades at TSC to manage the situation.
In a parallel development, the Syndicate, Dhaka University's highest policy-making forum, convened an emergency meeting and declared the university closed for an indefinite period. All resident students were directed to vacate the halls by 6 pm. However, the agitators have rejected this directive. Around 12:30 pm, they gathered in front of the Vice Chancellor's residence, stating they would not leave the halls.
Sargis Alam, the coordinator of the anti-discrimination student movement, emphasized that the students' demands were logical and not in response to any major disaster. "Instructing students to leave the hall means destroying the movement. We do not accept such a decision. We will not leave the hall. We will continue this logical movement until our demands are met," he declared.
The tensions have been high since Tuesday, when six protesters were killed in a clash between the Chhatra League and the police. This incident fueled the anger among the protesters, leading them to expel BCL leaders from the girls' halls in Dhaka University at midnight on Tuesday. By Wednesday morning, the protesters had vandalized the rooms of central and branch leaders and activists of BCL in various boys' halls, burning their belongings.
In response to the escalating situation, the University Grants Commission (UGC) wrote to Vice Chancellors, instructing all universities in the country to remain closed until further notice.
In light of these events, Dhaka University's Syndicate held an emergency meeting on Wednesday, resulting in the decision to close the university indefinitely.