RU students continue strike for second day over fee hike

RAJSHAHI, Feb 1 (BSS): The students of Rajshahi University have been continuing their strike for the second consecutive day against fee hike and evening courses in the university.
According to the campus sources, thousands of students joined rallies from residential halls and went round locking up all buildings in the university this morning. Students who joined the rallies finally met up at 'Tukitaki Chattar' in front of the RU's central library.
The protesters told the journalists that they will continue their strike and, if necessary, intensify their agitation until their demands were met. There were no classes or examinations today during the strike.
Protesting students were involved in arguments with teachers over the issue of fee hike and evening courses.
Ayatollah Khomini, a coordinator of the protest told BSS, "We are protesting against the unethical decisions taken by the university's authority. "A particular group is conspiring to ruin our protest. But we are alert."
"The administration is trying its level best to open a dialogue with the students about their demands," said Prof Mizanuddin, VC of Rajshahi University. "We want them to calm down," he said. Prof Mizanuddin said decisions to increase fees and start evening courses were taken by the university's syndicate.
These have to be discussed since the VC alone can't decide the matter, Mizanuddin argued. The protesting students said the varsity syndicate had on Dec 24 decided on two to five-fold hike in different categories of fees, including those for exams, to make up for the salary of teachers appointed in addition to the number of posts advertised.