Over 100 people received primary treatment at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) after police charged batons, fired sound grenades, and used water cannons to disperse a group of government primary school teachers during a demonstration in Dhaka's Shahbagh this afternoon.

DMCH Director Brig Gen Md Asaduzzaman confirmed the development to The Daily Star, saying no one was seriously injured till now. Most of them have injury marks under the knee, while some got sick due to sound grenades.

Inspector Md Faruk, in-charge of DMCH police camp, said at least 110 took primary treatment at the hospital. Among the injured are teachers, police personnel, and rickshaw pullers.

He added that most of the injured have received primary treatment and left, while some remain under medical care.

Shahbagh Police Station Officer-in-Charge Khalid Mansur told this newspaper that seven policemen were injured in the incident.

In a statement, the DMP said a faction of demonstrators broke the police barricade near Shahbagh and tried to march towards the state guest house Jamuna. When police tried to stop them, the protesters hurled brick bats at officers, injuring several police personnel, it claimed.

To disperse the crowd and restore order, police fired multiple rounds of sound grenades and deployed water cannons, it said.

The statement added that all kinds of meetings, rallies, and gatherings have been banned in and around the residence of the chief adviser at Jamuna and nearby areas. Despite the ban, the protesters ignored the restrictions and tried to move there.

To maintain control and protect key state installations, police dispersed the protesters, the DMP claimed.