Tension escalated in Dhaka's Sher-e-Bangla Nagar on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, as students from Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University (SAU) vandalized temporary structures and stalls at the Old Trade Fair Ground in protest against the government's plan to relocate the Bangladesh Secretariat to the site.
The incident occurred during preparations for the month-long 'Asia International Trade Fair-2026'. According to eyewitnesses and fair workers, a group of 50 to 60 students arrived at the grounds around mid-morning and systematically demolished the main entrance gates and ongoing stall constructions. Workers and contractors reported heavy financial losses and property theft, noting that investment in the fair infrastructure exceeded ৳1 crore and was being carried out under official government permits.
The violent outburst follows a demonstration on Tuesday, October 27, when SAU students disrupted government soil testing operations at the site, seizing testing machinery and two vehicles before moving them into the university campus. Students maintain that the historical grounds belong to the university and must be allocated for agricultural research field operations rather than administrative complexes or commercial fairs. Tejgaon Division Police 2IC Md. Fazlu confirmed that the fair organizers possessed valid authorization, adding that law enforcement is assessing the situation while student leaders demand the permanent handover of the land to SAU.
— Daily Best News Desk • Fearless in the search for truth
Reported by Staff Reporter • Edited by the Daily Best News desk. Send corrections to [email protected].
