Students, teachers call for JnU 'shutdown'

Students, teachers, and other stakeholders of Jagannath University (JnU), under the banner of Jagannath University Oikyo, have declared the university closed until their demands are fulfilled.

Prof Rais Uddin, general secretary of Jagannath University Teachers' Association, made the announcement, stating, "Threats won't work. Our demands are just. The university will remain shutdown until they are fulfilled."

Meanwhile, students of JnU have continued their blockade at the capital's Kakrail intersection for the second consecutive day today, demanding the fulfillment of their now four-point demand.

They have vowed to continue the sit-in until the government issues a clear and official response.

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JnU students vow to stay on streets until demands met

Referring to yesterday's events, Prof Rais added he had formally expressed regret to the Information and Broadcasting Adviser on behalf of the teachers' association.

"However, that adviser is a former student of ours," he said.

"Our students have been peacefully protesting for two days now, yet the government has shown no response. This government was formed on the blood of the July revolutionaries, and now it discriminates against them. We helped these very people become advisers through our movement --now they stand against us," he said.

Meanwhile, law enforcement agencies have tightened security around the official residence of the chief adviser.

Yesterday, clashes between police and demonstrators left over fifty people injured, including teachers, students, and journalists. Among the injured was Rais Uddin himself.

The protest escalated into violence at approximately 12:40pm yesterday when police baton-charged and fired tear gas shells at JnU students during their "Long March to Jamuna" programme in Kakrail, leaving several students and teachers injured.

Around 10:10pm, when Information Adviser Mahfuj Alam arrived at the protest site in Dhaka's Kakrail in an attempt to defuse the situation.

He engaged in discussions with the demonstrators, but the atmosphere quickly turned hostile as a section of students began chanting "Bhua, Bhua" (fake, fake) slogans, reports our staff correspondent from the scene.

Subsequently, at least 300 teachers and students from JnU spent last night on the street in front of Kakrail mosque.