50 injured in Jagannath University violence................

At least 50 people, including policemen, were injured as Jagannath University students clashed with police on Tuesday, the violence sparked by a dispute over occupation of halls.

JagU students allege that local leaders and businessmen have taken over 12 halls outside the campus.

Witnesses said the clashes ignited around 10am when a group of Chhatra League students rallied to demand the recovery of the "illegally occupied" halls.

The police baton charged and threw teargas to disperse them. The Awami League-backed students retaliated by hurling brickbats.

The protesters attacked the vice chancellor's office and Bangladesh Bank's Sadarghat office.

Jamaat-backed Chhatra Shibir students also rallied in front of the Bangladesh Bank office demanding the halls be freed "from occupation by outsiders". As the police asked them to leave they too became involved in altercations.

Traffic movement from Johnson Road through Sadarghat remained suspended for three hours as vehicles were smashed on the road during the clashes.

The BCL students later massed on the Shahid Minar premises and in front of the Liberation War sculpture.

Kotwali police chief Abdul Hannan told us they were trying their utmost so that the clashes did not spread further.

The injured police were rushed to Rajarbagh Police Hospital and the students to Sumona Clinic in Old Dhaka, he said.

On Saturday, JagU students had staged demonstrations on the campus and confined the vice chancellor to his office demanding a stop to the "illegal occupation by outsiders" of the12 dormitories situated outside the campus.

They lifted the siege at the VC's office after proctor Kazi Asad assured the students of a quick solution.

The demonstrators said they would go for tougher moves if their demands were not met by Monday.