Staff Reporter :
Student’s protest has spread across the country over government’s decision to postpone their examinations.
In Dhaka, police arrested at least 10 students of National University from the capital’s Shahbag area when they were trying to gather on Thursday morning to hold a protest rally over the postponement of their examinations.
Sources said that a group of NU students started gathering at Shahbag crossing as per their previous declaration, prompting police to intervene immediately and detain some students.Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, Sajjadur Rahman, said some 8 to 10 students were taken to Shahbag Police Station for interrogation.
At Nilkhet, police dispersed the students of the College of Home Economics for blocking roads demanding exams.
Around 12 noon, police charged baton. Later, the students continued their movement inside the college premises.
The agitating students said that although their exams were scheduled to start on Thursday, it was abruptly postponed. Tasnuba Atiq, a student at Home Economics College, said, “We were protesting peacefully by blocking roads. The police charged baton without any provocation. Many of our students have been injured, she said.
When asked about the allegations of attack on the protesters, Sanowar Hosen, Assistant Police Commissioner of Lalbag Zone said that they tried to disperse the protesters with permission of the college authority.
In Chattogram, agitated students of Chattogram University yesterday launched protests after the Ministry of Education suspended examinations for three months, including those ongoing.
The students took to the streets after the university administration announced the decision on Thursday.
SM Monirul Hasan, acting registrar of the university, said that different universities around the country suspended ongoing examinations following the Ministry’s decision.
In Rajshahi, students of Rajshahi University on Thursday staged demonstrations demanding continuation of examinations under its different departments.
The examinations of the university were put on hold after the Ministry of Education issued a directive on February 22 to keep all the examinations postponed until May 24.
The government decided to reopen the residential halls of all universities on May 17 and resume classes on May 24.
The students started demonstrations at Paris Road of the university around 11 am and postponed it at 1 pm until next Sunday, upon assurance from the authorities.
In Barishal, students of Barishal University (BU), on Thursday blocked Barishal-Kuakata Highway, protesting the postponement of the examinations until May this year.
They demanded continuation of all the examinations that started in January last.
The regular classes can be delayed but the ongoing examinations must continue to reduce the losses of the academic life, the students said.
General Secretary of BU Teachers’ Association Khorshed Alam said, “We’ll contact the higher authorities over resuming the examinations as the students are demanding it.”
In Netrakona, at least eight people, including a journalist, were injured as police charged baton on a protest procession of National University students yesterday.
Students of Netrakona Government College and other district level educational institutions formed a human chain to press home their five-point demands, including the reopening of educational institutions and holding of all the postponed exams in the shortest time.
They also gave an ultimatum of 72 hours.
Meanwhile, students of various colleges in Sylhet on Thursday staged demonstrations in the city for around an hour demanding reopening of educational institutions.
Students from MC College, Sylhet Govt College, Madan Mohon College Sylhet and several other colleges under National University, demonstrated in the city under the banner of General Students, Sylhet.
Several hundred of them gathered in front of Sylhet Central Shaheed Minar at Chowhatta point and formed a human chain in the morning to press home their demand.
After the human chain and a procession, they blocked the road, causing severe traffic congestion in the city around noon, our local correspondent reports.
During their demonstration, agitated students commented that every social, political, and sporting activities are happening all around the country yet educational institutions are still closed.
