UNB :
Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) has been forced to shut following a serious clash on campus between police and protesting students Sunday.
The decision was taken at an emergency syndicate meeting held on Sunday evening and students were asked to leave the residential halls by Monday 12 pm.
Meanwhile the provost of Begum Sirajunnesa Chowdhury Hall Zafrin Ahmed, the person at the centre of the disquiet prevailing on the campus, resigned from her post citing health issues. Dr Nazia Chowdhury of Physics department has been appointed in her place, said Farid Uddin Ahmed, Vice Chancellor of SUST.
Removal of Zafrin Ahmed as provost of the residential hall for female students was one of the principal demands of students protesting on the campus.
At least 40 people were hurt including teachers, students and police personnel during Sunday’s clash.
It all started around 5:30 pm when the police baton-charged, threw sound grenades and fired shotgun bullets to disperse the protest, and students reacted by throwing brick chips at them, said the students.
From Sunday morning, nearly 200 female students of Begum Sirajunnesa Chowdhury Hall continued their demonstrations for the fourth consecutive day.
At one stage, some male students expressed their solidarity with the female students and confined the VC in a room of the IICT building from around 3 pm.
He was kept locked by the protesting students and they did not allow anyone to enter the room.
Teachers, officials of the university and also police failed at freeing the VC despite holding several meetings with the students.
Around 6 pm police managed to rescue VC Farid Uddin Ahmed from the locked room after which he was sent to his residence safely, said Md Ajbahar Ali, Deputy Commissioner of Sylhet Metropolitan police (South).
At least 10 police personnel suffered injuries during the clash but no one was detained in this connection, he said.
He said, “Police did not attack the students at first, rather it was the other way around. Police had to take actions in self defence.”
The students of Begum Sirajunnesa Chowdhury Hall had been protesting since Thursday to have their three-point demand met by the authorities. The demands included the removal of the hall and punishment those who earlier attacked them.
On Thursday night, students of the hall gathered outside the VC’s residence protesting alleged misbehavior with them by the hall provost. They left on getting assurances from the VC of solving the problem.
