UIU revokes student expulsions after daylong protests
A group of United International University (UIU) students blocked the Natun Bazar intersection in the capital for several hours yesterday, protesting the expulsion of 26 fellow students.
The demonstration caused severe traffic congestion from Badda to Kuril, leaving many commuters stranded. The blockade, which started around 8:30am, was called off after 6:00pm.
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In response to student demands, the university authorities have withdrawn the permanent expulsion orders issued against the 26 students over alleged involvement in campus protests and breach of discipline.
The decision was made at an emergency meeting of the UIU Disciplinary Committee last night, according to a notification signed by Registrar Md Zulfiqur Rahman.
Earlier, around 8:30am, demonstrators began gathering at the intersection as per a prior announcement, said Rakibul Hasan, officer-in-charge of Bhatara Police Station.
Around 50 students gathered at the intersection, holding placards and chanting slogans. Their blockade disrupted traffic on major roads connecting Badda, Kuril, and Rampura, causing significant suffering for commuters, particularly during the morning rush hour.
Tailbacks were reported in Rampura, Badda, Pragati Sarani, and Tejgaon Railgate areas. Many commuters said they were stuck for hours, with alternative routes also heavily congested, forcing them to walk to their destinations.
A brief scuffle broke out around 10:30am when police attempted to disperse the protesters, said the OC, adding that a few police officers sustained minor injuries.
The students, however, regrouped shortly after and continued the blockade. They claimed that police used batons on them, injuring some protesters.
Despite repeated requests from police to clear the road, the students refused to move. By afternoon, limited traffic movement resumed through a single lane between Rampura and Badda.
"We will not leave until our demands are met. We've tried to raise our voices peacefully many times, but no one listened," said a protester.
The students alleged that the university expelled 26 of their peers without prior notice or explanation, calling the decision arbitrary and authoritarian.
They vowed to continue protesting until the expulsions are withdrawn and those responsible are held accountable.
Additional police were deployed to the area, and law enforcers began discussions with the university authorities to resolve the matter.
Later in the day, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) issued a statement saying efforts were underway to settle the issue peacefully. It also dismissed social media posts regarding the protest as "completely baseless" and urged the public not to spread confusion.
The DMP also said traffic on one side of the Badda-Kuril road remained unaffected.
In the evening, after withdrawing the blockade, the protesting students entered the Bhatra Police Station and demanded punishment of the policemen who charged batons and took action against the protesters, said Ishtiak Ahmed, a student of the Electrical and Electronic Engineering department at UIU.
The protesting students had placed a five-point demand -- unconditional withdrawal of the expulsion orders; a fair investigation and punishment of those responsible; reforms to address long-standing irregularities at UIU; formation of an independent reform commission for private universities; and scrapping the 15 percent tax imposed on private universities.
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