One of the oldest Catholic institutions in Dhaka, St. Gregory’s High School & College, has closed its doors indefinitely following a violent mob attack that caused extensive damage to the school and injured security personnel.
The attack is the latest in a series of violent incidents sweeping the Bangladeshi capital, escalating fears for the safety of minority communities, according to a report by AsiaNews.
Separately, Chinmoy Krishna Das, a Hindu leader and member of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), was arrested at the airport on charges of sedition, further fueling tensions.
The historic Catholic school, founded in 1882, was targeted on Nov. 24 at approximately 5 p.m. by a mob of over 500 unidentified individuals.
The attackers broke through security barriers, injuring two guards, Nazmul Haque and Suman Gomes, who were later hospitalized.
Once inside, the mob vandalized classrooms, smashed windows, destroyed school documents, and damaged CCTV cameras. Explosives were reportedly used in the attack, adding to the devastation.
Fr. Placido Pietro Ribeiro, the school principal, expressed his dismay over the incident, calling it “a premeditated attack.”
He commended the rapid response of teachers, students, and law enforcement, which he said was critical in containing the violence.
“Restoration work, including cleaning and repairs, is already underway. These interventions are urgent and take time. We aim to resume normal school activities as soon as the premises are fully refurbished and safe for students and staff,” the priest said.
The attack occurred amid ongoing unrest involving students from various colleges in Dhaka. Violent clashes erupted on Nov. 25 among students of Dr. Mahbubur Rahman Mollah College, Shaheed Suhrawardy College, and Kabi Nazrul College, leading to widespread destruction and chaos in the city.
Authorities confirmed that over 20,000 students participated in the brawls, prompting the deployment of the army and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) to restore order. While rumors circulated that three students had died in the clashes, police denied any fatalities.
The violence has been linked to an incident on Nov. 18 when Abhijit Howlader, a student of Mollah College, died at the National Medical College Hospital.
Students accused the hospital of medical negligence, leading to protests on November 24 under the banner “Super Sunday.”
Protesters vandalized the hospital and Suhrawardy College, disrupting an exam session for first-year students of Nazrul College. In retaliation, students of Suhrawardy and Nazrul organized a counter-protest, dubbed “Mega Monday,” on Nov. 25.
St. Gregory’s High School & College, despite being unaffiliated with the colleges, became collateral damage in the wave of violence.