Students of Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University in Dinajpur blocked the Dinajpur-Rangpur highway for three hours on Thursday protesting the university authorities' action against eight students over ragging allegations.

Several hundred students, armed with sticks, blocked the highway in front of their campus around 9:00pm on Thursday and continued till midnight, halting traffic movement and causing suffering to hundreds of passengers on the route.

The protesters demanded the HSTU authorities withdraw the actions taken against the accused students.

Later, police and HSTU teachers went to the scene and persuaded the students to clear the road around midnight, said Dinajpur Sadar OC Farid Hossain. The teachers told the students to appeal against the action.

According to HSTU officials, several students of economics department filed ragging allegations against some seniors of the same department a week ago. Later, a probe committee found the allegations to be true and recommended the HSTU authorities take action against them.

Based on the recommendation, the university authorities expelled two students for two semesters and two for one semester, while asking all four of them to vacate from their dormitories permanently.

Four other students were warned by the HSTU authorities.

Dr Mamunur Rashid, proctor of HSTU, confirmed the matter.