DU students lock gates for second day
Will not go back to class until demands are met, they say
Abu Rakib | Tuesday, 23 July 2019
The students of Dhaka University (DU) on Monday locked all gates of academic and administrative buildings of the university for the second consecutive day.
The agitated students were protesting to press home their four-point demand that includes cancellation of affiliation of seven colleges with the university.
At early hour on Monday morning, they locked the gates of Registrar Building, Arts Building, Business Faculty, Mokarram Bhaban, Motahar Bhaban, Curzon Hall, Institute of Modern Languages and Social Sciences Building. The deadlock situation continued for the whole day. The employees of the university did not unlock the gates as they were under pressure by the agitated students.
Shakil Mia, a fourth year student, declared on behalf of the protesters on Monday their demonstration will continue, and they will not go back to class under demands are met.
Shakil mentioned due to the affiliation with seven colleges, the university's academic and administrative activities have slowed down and therefore their movement will continue.
No class and academic activity was held at DU due to the protest. Many students suffered for the demonstration.
Some protesters alleged Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) was trying to hamper the movement, as they saw that some leaders and activists of different hall units of BCL brought out processions and paraded several streets of the campus.
DU Prof AKM Jamal Uddin, convener of Muktijuddho Moncho, obstructed the protesters and the protesters confined him on the spot.
After that Jamal Uddin blamed them as 'Shibir' and threatened them to see later. He announced he will stand for the seven colleges, and will declare specific activities on this matter from Muktijuddho Moncho platform.
DU Pro-vice Chancellor (administration) Prof Muhammad Samad said the authority of the university has no right to cancel the affiliation of seven colleges as it was the decision of the government.
He asked the students to call off their protests until DU Vice Chancellor Prof Md Akhtaruzzaman returns from China.
Apart from cancelling the affiliation of seven colleges, the agitated DU students have been demanding automation of the university's administrative and academic activities, controlling external vehicles' movement inside the university campus and publishing results within two months of the exams.
Earlier on July 17, about 500 students, under the banner of general students, took to the streets at Shahbagh intersection in the city. They have been continuing their protest to meet their demands in different ways.
The affiliated colleges are Dhaka College, Eden Mohila College, Government Shaheed Suhrawardy College, Kabi Nazrul Government College, Begum Badrunnesa Government Women's College, Mirpur Government Bangla College, and Government Titumir College.