Students, Ansars clash in the Secretariat area

 A clash broke out between the students of Dhaka University and Ansar members at the Secretariat tonight.
The clash started after 9:00pm. The students chased the Ansar members who blocked the Secretariat from the Press Club-Secretariat side.
The clash came after members of the Ansar refused to withdraw their protest despite the interim government’s assurance of abolishing the “rest tradition” in the force.
Earlier today, a representative of the protesting Ansar members said they suspended their protest for a week on the assurance.
According to sources, the decision to abolish the “rest tradition” came after Adviser to Home Affairs Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury held an hour-long meeting with seven-member representatives of the demonstrating Ansar members at the secretariat.
However, a high offical of the home ministry said the Ansar members prevented the home adviser and other officials from leaving the secretariat. They were forced to return to the office again.
“The adviser called an emergency meeting to address the situation around 8:00pm. A good number of the officials remain confined at the secretariat,” he added.
Adviser to the Fisheries and Livestock Ministry Farida Akhter, Information, Adviser to the Post, Telecommunication and ICT Ministry Nahid Islam, Adviser of the Youth, Sports, Labour and Employment Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan, joined the meeting among others, said sources.