Crowds Overrun Dhaka University Security Ahead of World Cup Final
Large crowds of football fans broke through security barriers at the University of Dhaka on Sunday evening. The breach occurred just hours before the highly anticipated FIFA World Cup final match. Eyewitnesses reported that people forced their way onto the campus despite earlier restrictions.
Barricades at two main university gates were broken. One gate was near Nilkhet, and another was close to the Shahbagh Police Station. These barriers were put in place to control who could enter the campus.
Members of the Bangladesh National Cadet Corps (BNCC) were present during the incident. They described the situation as overwhelming. According to BNCC personnel, the number of people trying to enter became too great to manage. They stated that the crowds eventually pushed past the barricades and entered the university grounds together.
The university administration had previously announced strict entry rules for the night of the World Cup final. A notice was issued on Saturday detailing these restrictions. It stated that access for guests and vehicles would be limited from Sunday evening, July 19, until 6:00 am on Monday, July 20.
This decision was made to ensure the safety and security of the university campus and its students. However, these measures proved insufficient to hold back the large number of fans.
Repeated attempts were made to contact Dhaka University Proctor Israfil Ratan for comment regarding the breach. Despite these efforts, he could not be reached. The situation highlights the intense public interest and excitement surrounding the global football event.
