Police baton-charged Medical Assistant Training School (MATS) students during their long march towards the Secretariat on Sunday, as part of their four-point demand. The incident left 11 students injured. The students were brought to the emergency department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital around 5:15 PM on Sunday (February 9).
The injured students include Mehrab (20) from Naogaon MATS, Ershadul Haque (30) from Prime MATS, Zahidul Hasan (26), Sohag (22), Amanullah (20) from Shyamli MATS, Sayma (21), Sumaiya Khatun (20), Tahmina Akter Toma (20) from Trauma MATS, Mohammad Russell (23) from Barishal Jamjam MATS, Shihab (20) from Gazipur MATS, and Arafat (21) from Kushtia MATS.
Inspector Md. Faruk, in charge of the Dhaka Medical Police Camp, stated that 11 students were brought from the Secretariat area and are currently receiving treatment in the emergency department.
The long march began at around 4:15 PM from Shahbagh. When the police attempted to block the march, clashes ensued. However, the students broke through the police barricade and continued their march towards the Secretariat.
The students claim that the Ministry of Health is trying to make empty promises again. They said, “We want a resolution to the disparity in MATS today, and we do not wish to protest on the streets.”
Liberty News’ national correspondent reports that when asked why they were heading towards the Secretariat despite a meeting with the Ministry of Health, a student named Shariful Islam responded, “We cannot just sit at Shahbagh and have the ministry hold a meeting. They need to meet with us directly. We will go home once the health advisor publicly announces our demands.”
LND/Tariq
