Agitating students seeking admission to Dhaka University (DU) gave a five-day ultimatum to the university authorities Sunday to reconsider their decision of 'not allowing aspirants to sit for the enrolment test for a second time'.
They warned that they would also arrange a mass gathering of the aspirants and their guardians at the Central Shaheed Minar on October 25 unless the authorities meet their demand within the stipulated time.
On behalf of the protesters, Magroba Tabassum, a student who qualified in the HSC examination from the Siddheswari Girls' College this year, made the announcement in front of the Aparajeyo Bangla.
Earlier in the morning, police foiled their pre-scheduled protest programme at the TSC (Teacher-Student Centre) intersection and detained five agitating students for what the police said to avert any untoward incident on the university campus.
"However, getting assurance of peaceful movement from the agitators, we released them just hours after the detention," said acting Officer-in-Change (OC) of the Shahabag Police Station, Sirajul Islam.
Witnesses said at about 10:30 am students started gathering at the intersection again and continued their agitation until about 11:15 am at the spot. Later, they went to the Aparajeyo Bangla of the university and announced further action programme.
During the protest, they chanted slogans protesting the university decision terming it a 'discriminatory' and 'unethical' practice by the authorities. They reiterated their demand of allowing students to appear at admission test for the second time at least for the next academic year (2015-2016) as they got very little time for preparation this year.
The university authorities recently put a ban on appearing at the admission test for a second time from the academic year 2015-2016 for what they said 'ensuring a fair contest among the candidates.'
In previous years students had scope to attend the university admission test for the second time and the results showed that a good number of them got chance through the second time admission test.
"Only our batch (HSC in 2014) is being deprived of the chance due to the decision as last year we had very fewer days for preparation compared to the previous year," said Aminul Islam, an admission aspirant.
Instead of putting a ban on appearing at the second time admission test for its enrolled students, they have barred the aspiring students, he noted.
"The university authorities should impose a ban on migration of enrolled students who take the advantage of permitting them to sit for the second time admission test," said another agitating student.
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