Bangladesh General Students’ Rights Protection Council on Wednesday threatened to boycott all classes and examinations across the country until specific announcement by the prime minister within seven days regarding quota reform.
“Different speeches from a number of ministers regarding quota reform issue are not acceptable. We will go for boycotting classes and examinations until we do not get any specific announcement from the Prime Minister,” said Nurul Haq, joint convener of the student’s platform.
Earlier, Hasan Al Mamun, convener of the platform readout the statement of the council at a press briefing at the Central Library premises in Dhaka University campus around 11 am.
The council strongly condemned all the attacks on students on different halls of DU and demanded expulsion of those involved in the attack from the university.
They also demanded immediate implementation of the decision taken by the DU authorities to expel Kabi Sufia Kamal hall unit BCL president for attacking a female student of the hall.
Pressure has been created on the conveners of the council of different universities for stopping movement, they alleged. The council strongly protested the incidents and asked those involved in putting pressure on them to express their solidarity with them, said the release.
Earlier in the morning, several hundred students of DU thronged in front of the Central Library and staged demonstration as part of their scheduled programme.
Expressing solidarity with the demonstrators, Dhaka University Vice-chancellor Prof Md Akhtaruzzaman on Wednesday said the demand of students is logical.
The VC came up with the remarks while speaking at a press briefing at his office.
“We have asked the government to take quick measures and give assurance to the students so that they can return to normal life,” he said.
The VC also urged the law enforcing agencies to behave well and ensure safety of the students.
Referring to the attack on a female student of Kabi Sufia Kamal Hall, Prof Akhtaruzzaman said, “The university administration is adopting a zero tolerance stance against such incident and a probe committee has been formed to look into the matter.”
Wishing anonymity, a high official concerned of the university, said the order for temporarily expulsion of the BCL leader Iffat Jahan Esha was signed.
Meanwhile, the Dhaka University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) also expressed solidarity with the demonstrators. DUTA president Prof Maksud Kamal read out the press note at a press briefing held at the Dhaka University Club around 12:30 pm.
They also urged the government to accept the demand of the demonstrators.
Later, the DUTA leaders joined the demonstrators at the foot of Raju sculptor where the students were staging demonstration demanding quota reforms.
Besides, the students of private universities including University of Asia Pacific, Daffodil International University were staging demonstration in different areas of the city, disrupting traffic movements.
As reports came in, thousands of students had rolled on to the key thoroughfares in Mirpur, Farmgate, Sukrabad, and Dhanmondi areas demanding quota reform.
The students of Asia Pacific University brought out a procession in Green Road area and took position in city’s Farmegate area, halting traffic movement.
Traffic movements in Panthapath and Mirpur Road remained suspended for several hours as the students of Daffodil International University took to the streets demanding quota reform.
Students of several private universities also blockade Satmasjid Road in the city’s Dhanmondi area creating huge trouble for the commuters as well as students of school and colleges.
Meanwhile, around 5,000 students of Jahangirnagar University took position on Dhaka-Aricha highway near the main gate of the campus and staged demonstration demanding quota reform.
The agitating students gathered at the Central Library premises around 9:30am and brought out a procession.
Traffic on the busy highway remained stranded following the incident.
In Sylhet, The students of Shahajalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) took position in front of the university gate and staged demonstration for the fourth consecutive day over reform of the quota system.
They also boycotted their classes and examinations.
Movements of university and shuttle buses remained halted as the students intercepted vehicular inside the campus.
In Khulna, the students of Khulna University staged demonstration after blocking Khulna-Satkhira highway for the same demand. Later they brought out a rally and heading towards Shibari intersection in the city and took position there.
The students of Chittagong University (CU) put up barricade at Sholosohor Rail Station in the city halting shuttle train movement.
The demonstrators brought out a procession at the campus around 8 am as part of their scheduled programme and took to the streets and railway tracks over the issue.
In Barisal, student of Barishal University and Shahid Abdur Rab Serniabat Textile Engineering College blockade Patuakhali-Barisha and Dhaka-Barishal highways respectively, demanding quota reform.
They also boycotted all classes and examinations.
Meanwhile, Bus Owners and Workers Association in Barisal has suspended bus service from Nathullabad Bus Terminal to other parts of the country as they faced barricades on the highways.
Earlier on Tuesday, the students’ platform announced to go on with the agitation programme until a specific statement from the prime minister to this end is made.
Rashed Khan, joint convener of the platform, came up with the announcement at the foot of Raju Sculpture on the Dhaka University campus around 5:55pm on Tuesday.
He said they continue their movement at all universities and colleges across the country from 10m to 7pm every day until their demand is met.
UNB adds: The students of Chittagong University (CU) put up barricade at Sholosohor Rail Station in the city demanding reform of quota in government jobs, halting shuttle train movement.
The demonstrators brought out a procession at the campus around 8 am as part of their scheduled programme and took to the streets and railway tracks over the issue.
They also refrain from attending classes and examinations.
Shahab Uddin, station master of Sholosohor Railway Station, said the protesters set up barricade on the railway tracks halting two shuttle trains which were scheduled to leave for the campus on 9:45 am and 10:30 am.
Md Arju, a co-ordinator of Bangladesh General Students’ Rights Protection Council, said “We’ll continue our movement until the demand is met.”
