The Bangladeshi government declared curfew in the headquarters of six divisions including capital Dhaka Wednesday as the violence escalated in the country.

 

Students from Dhaka University pull a barricade during a protest to demand the withdrawal of security forces from the University campus in Dhaka. Bangladesh's military-backed emergency government has agreed to pull army personnel out of Dhaka University after violent clashes with students demanding they leave, reports said on August 22, 2007.

 

The curfew will start from 8 PM on Wednesday and end with further order.

 

Bangladesh military-backed government facing violent student protests Wednesday cautioned stern actions against "rowdy and anarchic acts" for restoration of normal life.

 

The violence which started on Monday night was led by a quarrel between armymen and some students in Dhaka University playground when watching a football match. The students held processions after the armymen beat some students.

 

The violence was escalated in the last two days which left one person killed and more than 400 others wounded in capital Dhaka and major cities.

 

The protesters seeking withdrawal of the state of emergency imposed on Jan. 11 fought pitched battles with police on university and college campuses in Dhaka and other major cities across Bangladesh.

 

The demonstrators damaged or burned down dozens of buses and cars, ransacked police boxes and disrupted road communications by staging sit-in on different highways.

 

A house of Education Advisor Dr. Ayub Qadri and business office of Power and Energy Advisor Tapan Chowdhury of the caretaker government came under attacks.

 

In view of the situation, the government appealed to all concerned to maintain peace and discipline in public life and refrain from disorderly acts, damaging property and disrupting public life.

 

"If this unlawful act continues, the government will be compelled to take stern action against the perpetrators for bringing back normalcy and protecting life and property of the citizens," an official handout said.

 

It said in accordance with the demand of Dhaka University students, the army camp at the campus playground has already been withdrawn and initiative has been taken to form a judicial inquiry committee headed by a retired High Court judge to investigate the untoward incidents.

 

Despite these measures, the handout said, a section of people was engaged in causing damage to public and private property in Dhaka and some other places of the country.

 

"It has been observed that non-students are taking part in these rowdy and anarchic acts. These cannot be allowed to continue," it cautioned.

 

Caretaker government Chief Advisor Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed called an emergency meeting Wednesday afternoon to review the overall situation and possible future actions to maintain order.

 

Army Chief General Moeen U Ahmed was present in the meeting.

 

Earlier, thousands of college and university students joined a general strike Wednesday demanding withdrawal of the state of emergency.

 

A three-wheeler rickshaw puller in northern city of Rajshahi was killed during fierce clashes between Rajshahi University students and riot police.

 

This is the first major violence in the country since state of emergency was declared by President Iajuddin Ahmed on Jan. 11.

 

(Xinhua News Agency August 23, 2007)