Staff Reporter :
Jahangirnagar University (JU) has been shut down for an indefinite period following a clash between the protesting students and the ‘VC-backed teachers and Chhatra League men’ leaving at least 30 injured, including eight varsity teachers.
The authorities made the announcement after an emergency meeting, presided over by Vice Chancellor Prof. Farzana Islam, at the JU new administration building on Tuesday afternoon.
Rahima Kaneez, acting registrar and also syndicate secretary of the university, confirmed the matter.
She said: “Students have been asked to vacate the residential halls by 4:30pm today [Tuesday].”
Prof. Tareq Reza of JU Bangla Department, also one of the protesting teachers, told the media that among the injured, eight were teachers of the institution, three were journalists and the rest were students of the university,
The protestors were attacked by a group of Chhatra League men, led by the university’s Chhatra League President Jewel Rana, around 12:00 noon while staging a sit-in protest in front of the Vice-Chancellor’s residence.
The spokesperson of the demonstrators, Prof Rayhan Raine, said: “Supporters of the Vice-Chancellor send in Chhatra League men to attack us.
“Many protestors were injured as the Chhatra League men attacked and assaulted us. We vehemently condemn this attack. No administration can be sustained by force. We demand that the government remove the Vice-Chancellor immediately.”
When asked about the attack on the protesters, JU Chhatra League President Jewel Rana said: “We did not attack anyone. However, we heard that the protesters are Shibir men [student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami] and we want a Shibir-free campus.”
Requesting anonymity, a police official of Ashulia Police Station said: “There are students and teachers on both sides of the protest. They will have to resolve the misunderstandings by themselves.”
Acting Proctor ASM Firoz Ul Hasan of the institution said: “A mob was created at the scene during the protest, and we were unable to bring them under control.”
However, the proctor claimed that no students were injured.
Earlier on Sunday, a representative team of seven teachers met Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni.
The protesters held a press conference in front of the old administrative building under the banner “Jahangirnagar against Corruption” on Monday afternoon.
Their spokesperson Prof. Rayhan Raine, said the blockade will continue until
the VC is removed from her position.
JU unit Samajtantrik Chhatra Front President Mahathir Mohammad said the university administration is pitting protesters and general students against each other.
“They locked the examination controller’s office, leaving students to suffer. It was a deplorable decision,” he added.
The students have been demonstrating on the campus since August 23, demanding the removal of the university VC Farzana Islam for her alleged involvement in corruption.
Protesters also called for a strike on the campus on October 2, which was later withdrawn to hold a meeting with the VC.
However, no solution came from the meeting and the protest continued.
The protesting students are still continuing their demonstration for the VC’s resignation defying the JU authorities order to leave the residential halls and the campus till filing the report at 9:30 yesterday night.
Jahangirnagar University (JU) has been shut down for an indefinite period following a clash between the protesting students and the ‘VC-backed teachers and Chhatra League men’ leaving at least 30 injured, including eight varsity teachers.
The authorities made the announcement after an emergency meeting, presided over by Vice Chancellor Prof. Farzana Islam, at the JU new administration building on Tuesday afternoon.
Rahima Kaneez, acting registrar and also syndicate secretary of the university, confirmed the matter.
She said: “Students have been asked to vacate the residential halls by 4:30pm today [Tuesday].”
Prof. Tareq Reza of JU Bangla Department, also one of the protesting teachers, told the media that among the injured, eight were teachers of the institution, three were journalists and the rest were students of the university,
The protestors were attacked by a group of Chhatra League men, led by the university’s Chhatra League President Jewel Rana, around 12:00 noon while staging a sit-in protest in front of the Vice-Chancellor’s residence.
The spokesperson of the demonstrators, Prof Rayhan Raine, said: “Supporters of the Vice-Chancellor send in Chhatra League men to attack us.
“Many protestors were injured as the Chhatra League men attacked and assaulted us. We vehemently condemn this attack. No administration can be sustained by force. We demand that the government remove the Vice-Chancellor immediately.”
When asked about the attack on the protesters, JU Chhatra League President Jewel Rana said: “We did not attack anyone. However, we heard that the protesters are Shibir men [student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami] and we want a Shibir-free campus.”
Requesting anonymity, a police official of Ashulia Police Station said: “There are students and teachers on both sides of the protest. They will have to resolve the misunderstandings by themselves.”
Acting Proctor ASM Firoz Ul Hasan of the institution said: “A mob was created at the scene during the protest, and we were unable to bring them under control.”
However, the proctor claimed that no students were injured.
Earlier on Sunday, a representative team of seven teachers met Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni.
The protesters held a press conference in front of the old administrative building under the banner “Jahangirnagar against Corruption” on Monday afternoon.
Their spokesperson Prof. Rayhan Raine, said the blockade will continue until
the VC is removed from her position.
JU unit Samajtantrik Chhatra Front President Mahathir Mohammad said the university administration is pitting protesters and general students against each other.
“They locked the examination controller’s office, leaving students to suffer. It was a deplorable decision,” he added.
The students have been demonstrating on the campus since August 23, demanding the removal of the university VC Farzana Islam for her alleged involvement in corruption.
Protesters also called for a strike on the campus on October 2, which was later withdrawn to hold a meeting with the VC.
However, no solution came from the meeting and the protest continued.
The protesting students are still continuing their demonstration for the VC’s resignation defying the JU authorities order to leave the residential halls and the campus till filing the report at 9:30 yesterday night.
