Protest at Buet over banned political activities by BCL on campus

A group of students of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) demonstrated on the university campus today protesting resumption of political activities in the university at night despite a ban.

According to students and teachers, Chhatra League activists have recently started political activities on the campus defying a 2019 ban imposed by Buet authorities following the brutal murder of its 2nd year student Abrar Fahad.

Witnesses said nearly 1,000 Buet students gathered in front of Shaheed Minar of the university around 2:30pm today and started demonstration demanding a stop to all kinds of political activities.

"We will boycott all sort of mid-term examination and classes until the demand is met," said a fourth-year female student of Department of Computer Science and Engineering.

Chhatra league leaders often enter the Buetcampus and run political activities in front of Cafeteria at night, a protestor, opting anonymity, told our Dhaka University correspondent.

The demonstrations also demanded punishment of the students who helped Chhatra league leaders to perform their activities on the campus.

In a written statement, the students also said, "We demand suspension of the students from dorms who assisted Chhatra league leaders for their entry on the campus at night. We want clarification whether the university administration allows BCL men to perform their political activities on the campus."

The students said, "If the authorities don't take action in this regard and fails to meet the demand by till 2:00pm tomorrow, we will announce a tougher programme demanding removal of Prof Mizanur Rahman, directorate of Students' Welfare (DSW)."

The protest was going on the campus till filing of this report around 5:20pm.