Shawdesh Desk:

At least 11 students belonging to ethnic minority groups were injured as they were beaten by another group of students in front of the NCTB bhaban in the capital over counterclaim on inclusion of the word ‘Adivasi’ in the textbooks.

The incidents of attacks occurred in front of police.

Road communications in the area remained suspended for an hour.

The National Curriculum and Textbook Board prepare the textbooks of the students.

Recently the board removed a graffiti with the word Adivasi from the back cover of the Bangla grammar book for the Classes of IX and X following demand of Students for Sovereignty, an organisation claimed to be of Dhaka University students.

Several people, including young students under the banner of SFS took position in front of the NCTB building at about 11:30am.

They demanded action against the people who earlier included the graffiti.

At the demonstration Class VI and VII students of Agaraon School were also present.

A huge number of police took position in front of the building which was closed.

Around 12:45pm a group of students of ethnic minority groups under the banner of Sangkhubdhho Adivasi Chhatra Janata came near the building demanding inclusion of the word Adivasi in the textbook again.

As they reached near the building some students from SFS attacked the students of SACJ group with stamps, leaving four injured.

Around 1:00pm members of SFS again attacked members of SACJ group injuring four more.

These attacks occurred in front of the police. During second attack they tried to stop the SFS group.

Later, police cleaned the blood on the road with water.

SACJ representative Alik Mree confirmed the number of the injured people.

As the SACJ group left the spot after the second attack, police dispersed the SFS group from the road at about 1:15pm.

Shops on the road were closed down soon after the attacks took place.