Attack on Indigenous students: Police charge batons on protesters

Police have charged batons in a procession which was taken out to protest an attack on Indigenous students on Wednesday (15 January). 

The protest procession was taken out under the banner of "Aggrieved Student-Masses". The protesters gathered in front of the Raju Memorial Sculpture in DU and headed towards the home ministry. 

Police stopped the procession with a barricade in front of the Shikkha Bhaban. When the protesters tried to advance by removing the barrier, police used water cannon on them. Two sound grenades were also used. 

Several rounds of chase and counter-chase between the two parties ensued. After police charged batons, the protesters dispersed and gathered at Raju Memorial again. 

At least 10 Indigenous people were injured at a protest at the capital's Motijheel on Wednesday afternoon. 

A graffiti depicting the word 'adibasi' (Indigenous) was on the back cover of a textbook. A number of DU students under the banner of "Students for Sovereignty" expressed discontent regarding the graffiti and surrounded the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) on January 12. NCTB then removed the graffiti from the textbook. 

In light of such a situation, an indigenous student organisation announced a programme to surround the NCTB at 11am on Wednesday. After that, the Students for Sovereignty also announced a similar programme. 

At around 12:45pm on Wednesday, indigenous students took up positions under the Motijheel metro station and were chanting slogans. However, they were attacked by the Students for Sovereignty group who were carrying sticks.