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Violent clashes between students of the University of Chittagong (CU) and
residents of nearby villages have become a familiar pattern, with at least ten major
incidents reported in the last seven years. What often begins as a minor dispute
regularly escalates into bloody confrontations, yet the university administration has
failed to deliver a lasting solution. The latest outbreak erupted on August 30 near
Gate No. 2 of CU, after a female student was allegedly assaulted by a security
guard. Furious students clashed with locals in hours-long violence that stretched
into the next morning. The fighting only ended after the army intervened.
According to CU Medical Centre's acting chief medical officer, 421 students
received treatment for injuries, with four reported in critical condition. Police later
filed a case against 95 people, but fear continues to haunt students living in rented
houses near the site of the clashes. CU has around 27,500 students but only 14
residential halls. The majority are forced to rent accommodation in surrounding
villages, depending on locals for housing, transport, and daily supplies. Students
allege locals exploit this dependency by inflating rents and demanding excessive
fares. Locals, on the other hand, claim students misuse their influence and magnify
small disputes into major confrontations.