Movement forces RU to postpone fee hike

RAJSHAHI UNIVERSITY, Feb 1: The Rajshahi University (RU) authorities have been forced to postpone their decision to hike fees following the continuous movement and demonstration by the students on the campus.
The authorities have given assurance to consider their two other demands.
The general students of the university had been continuing their movement from January 19 under the banner of "Teachers-Students against increased fees and evening courses" to press home their three-point demand.
Their demands include stopping the recently increased fees, withdrawal of the recently taken decision to introduce evening Master's courses under Social Science faculty and stopping the ongoing evening Masters' courses at BBA and Law faculty.
From a press conference at Senate building Saturday noon, RU Vice-chancellor (VC) Prof Muhammed Mizan Uddin made the announcement of postponing the increased fees. But two others demands are yet to be met.
Prof. Mizan said, RU authorities have decided to postpone fees hike to continue the traditional harmonious relations between the students and teachers considering the unstable situation at the university adding the faculty authorities will decide whether the evening Master's course will be cancelled or not.
But the agitated students, however, refusing the authorities' decision declared to continue their movements until their all demands are fulfilled.
The RU administration has taken the decision to postpone the increased fees only for inducing the students to stop the ongoing movement, the students alleged.
A section teachers of Social Science faculty of the university told a press release Saturday that they would abstain from holding classes and taking exam if the students don't withdraw their strike.