JU students threaten to stay on campus; vow to continue protest

--JU closed sine die

--20 hurt in BCL attack

--Rallies, processions banned

--Students asked to vacate dorms by 5:30 pm

--Students decide to stay on campus, continue protest until VC’s removal

Rejecting authorities’ announcement of closing Jahangirnagar University for an indefinite period, the protesting students of the university took a fresh vow to carry out their movement until Vice Chancellor Prof Farzana Islam resigns.

“We don’t comply with the authority’s decision. We will not leave the campus rather we will continue our movement until the VC resigns,” Mushfiqur Salehin, one of the leaders of the protesting students, made the announcement this evening.

Earlier in the day, the JU authorities announced the closure of the university for an indefinite period following Chhatra League attack on protesting students, who confined Vice Chancellor Prof Farzana Islam to her residence demanding her resignation.

As part of their ongoing protest, a section of students blocked the university’s central bus terminal so that no vehicle can leave the campus with students following the authority’s decision around 7:00 pm, our correspondent reports from the spot.

The university authorities in its directives asked all students to leave their dormitories by 5:30 pm and imposed ban on rallies and procession, according to press statement signed by Rahima Kaniz, acting registrar of the university.

Protesters continue agitation demanding resignation of Jahangirnagar University VC Professor Farzana Islam. Photo: Collected

JU authorities also requested the police authorities of Dhaka district to deploy at least 300 lawmen including female forces on the campus to vacate the male and female hall smoothly, the press release said.

Rejecting the authority’s decision, Professor Farid Ahmed of Philosophy department of the university, said the VC has shown her incapability by calling upon outsiders to deal with the protest.

“She has tried to conceal her own failure and tarnished image of Bangladesh Chhatra League by implicating the organisation with the corruption,” the professor said.

Taking a swipe at the VC, Farid Ahmed said the VC has let loose deputy assistant proctor on the protesting students and she has utterly failed to run the university properly.

“I think, not only the VC rather her total team has failed to deal with the protest. She and her team should stay aside from their posts to restore the smashed image of the university,” he said.

Earlier in the day, around 100 leaders and activists of the university unit BCL led by its President Jewel Rana swooped on the students, teachers and journalists around noon and dispersed them from in front of the VC’s residence.

At least 20 teachers, students and journalists were injured during the attack, the correspondent reported quoting witnesses.

Talking to The Daily Star, Jewel Rana said the students who are protesting against the VC are Shibir activists and that’s why they were dispersed. He also urged the university authorities to find them out and take action against them.

Over 100 students took position in front of the VC’s residence around 7:00 pm yesterday, demanding her resignation over allegations of corruption.

Later, about 25 teachers later joined the agitating students.

WHY ARE JU STUDENTS PROTESTING?

JU students have been demonstrating on the campus since August 23, demanding the relocation of three male students’ dormitories which the authorities planned to construct near the Rabindranath Hall, and a judicial probe into the allegations of corruption and irregularities that took place before the approval of these construction projects.

The students and teachers also protested against the corruption by the authorities and unplanned development works, which would endanger biodiversity on the campus.