BCL attack on Protestors at JU: Students asked to vacate hall

Publish: 6:58 PM, November 5, 2019 | Update: 6:58 PM, November 5, 2019
Photo: TBT

Shahadat Sumon, JU correspondent: Agitating teachers and students laying siege to the residence of Vice-Chancellor Prof Farzana Islam were attacked allegedly on Tuesday by Chhatra League men.

The agitating teachers and students who are protesting last three months for removal of Vice-Chancellor Prof Fasrzana Islam over graft allegation and in this regard they confined VC`s residence from Monday night.

Meanwhile, VC leaning teachers and officials also took position counteracting the movement.

On Tuesday morning, the protest gained momentum with more students and teachers join demanding VC’s removal

Then, around 100 BCL men led by its JU unit President Jewel Rana swooped on the students, teachers and journalists around noon and dispersed them from the spot.

At least 35 people including teacher were injured, Besides, four journalists were also injured in the attack while on duty.

The injured were being given first aid at the University Medical Center. Eight persons were sent to Enam Medical College Hospital in Savar for better treatment, said a on duty doctor at JU Medical Center, Rezwanur Rahman.

Therefore, the University administration has been decided to close the dormitories until a safe environment back into the campus. Students have been instructed to leave the hall by 5pm on November 5.

The decision was made at an emergency meeting of Syndicate led by University Vice-Chancellor Farzana Islam at around noon on Tuesday (November 5).

Acting Proctor of the university, ASM Firoz-ul-Hasan, said, “The hall has been vacated. Students have to leave the hall by 5 pm.

However, the Pro Vice-Chancellor Prof Amir Hossain and former vice-chancellor Prof Shariff Enamul Kabir opposed the vacancy in the syndicate meeting.

Meanwhile, opposing the decision, general students including injured students marched towards the university’s administrative building.

Barrister Shihab Uddin Khan, Lawyer of Bangladesh Supreme Court and member of JU Senate said, “I think that the Vice-Chancellor of JU has lost all sorts acceptability for her post. First, he was not elected through a panel election in the Senate. According to the executive order, the appointed VCs are not considering the interests of the University.”

“She has lost all the bases of being a VC. The university is virtually non-existent. She have to resigned and secure everyone.If you are such innocent, you would have requested an inquiry with the Chancellor, and she himself would go on vacation for some time and devise a strategy to return as a hero.” he added.

Mentionable, students started the protests in August, demanding a judicial inquiry into the reported involvement of the vice-chancellor in corruption and mismanagement of the Tk 1,445 crore campus development projects.

It has been alleged that the VC has managed Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) JU unit leaders with Tk 1.6 crore from the development fund. Two BCL leaders has already gave their statement regarding their involvement in such allegation.