Police Block Student Front Attempting to Regain Dhaka Aliya Hostel

DHAKA — Tensions remain high around the Dhaka Government Aliya Madrasah in Bakshibazar following repeated attempts by activists from Islami Chhatra Shibir to re-enter residential halls currently controlled by rival student group Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD).

Police cordoned off the Bakshibazar intersection on Saturday afternoon, erecting barricades to prevent Shibir members from marching towards the campus accommodation. The standoff lasted for over two hours, ending only when the group eventually dispersed under heavy police presence.

Roots of the Conflict and Allegations of Violence

The territorial struggle follows violent clashes on 4 August at the institution’s Allama Kashgari (R.) Hall. A dispute over locking individual hostel rooms quickly degenerated into full-scale violence, during which JCD activists—reportedly backed by members of the Jubo League and Dhaka South Jubo Dal—drove Shibir members out of the residential complex.

Shibir leaders accused JCD and Jubo Dal personnel of ransacking their quarters and looting personal belongings, including laptops and motorcycles. Abdul Alim, president of the Government Aliya Madrasah unit of Islami Chhatra Shibir, condemned both law enforcement and campus authorities for failing to restore neutral administration over the residential halls.

He alleged that armed JCD-Jubo Dal elements remain entrenched inside the hostel without facing police action, while legitimate students attempting to return to their rooms are being blocked at police checkpoints.

JCD representatives strongly rejected allegations of looting and armed occupation. Saad Chowdhury, a JCD activist residing in the hostel, claimed that Shibir members originally attacked JCD rooms alongside outside operatives, forcing JCD activists to flee before later re-entering the building. He stated that approximately 60 to 70 JCD activists currently reside in the complex.

While asserting that the hostel is now under JCD control, Saad noted that the group remains open to peaceful co-existence, provided room allocations are negotiated formally through the madrasah administration rather than monopolized as before.

Police Stance and Administrative Silence

Police authorities maintained that barricades were established purely to prevent fresh violence and maintain public order. Aminul Kabir, Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) for the Lalbagh Zone of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), clarified that valid students showing admit cards or student identification are permitted entry individually, but group rallies and mass entry remain prohibited to avert clashes.

Efforts to obtain official comments from campus authorities proved unsuccessful. Hostel Provost Md. Mostafa Kamal declined to speak on hall management, deferring to Assistant Principal Md. Ashraful Kabir, who cited ongoing meetings and remained unavailable for further inquiries.

Bomb Disposal Unit Deployed Nearby

In a separate development on Saturday afternoon, local residents discovered a suspicious object wrapped in black tape near the main road adjacent to Allama Kashgari Hall.

The Bomb Disposal Unit from the DMP’s Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) branch arrived promptly to inspect and neutralize the device. Muhammad Talebur Rahman, Deputy Commissioner (DC) of the DMP Lalbagh Zone, later confirmed that the object posed no threat following examination, adding that police units remain stationed around the madrasah perimeter to preserve calm.