News Desk :
The students of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) have called off their movement after 27 days with full confidence in Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni.
At a press briefing on Saturday (12 February), they announced the withdrawal of the movement.
Mohaiminul Bashar Raj, spokesperson of the protesting students, read out a written statement at the press briefing.
It said, “We have withdrawn our movement for the time being and we are waiting for our demands to be met as we have full confidence in Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni, who has promised to fulfill all our demands.”
The students also gave assurance that the classes and examinations will continue in normal environment at the university from Sunday.
Dr Dipu Moni has agreed to take the matter of SUST Vice Chancellor Farid Uddin’s resignation to the Chancellor, President Abdul Hamid, said the spokesperson.
“We hope that he will make the right decision to ensure the quality and environment of our education,” the statement read.
Regarding the case against the students, they said that the matter has been brought to Education Minister’s attention who said that arrangements would be made to withdraw them very soon.
“Apart from this, the issue of suspending mobile SIM and mobile banking accounts of current and former students will also be solved within the next 3-4 days,” Bashar said. The students embarked on the hunger strike on the university campus on January 19, demanding the resignation of the VC over the police crackdown on their fellows. The strike was launched after police swooped on the protesting students, charging batons and firing sound grenades and shotgun bullets. On the other hand, the police had filed a case against 300 unnamed protesting students.
The alleged attack was carried out to free the VC from confinement in the university’s IICT building, and it had left 40 people hurt, including teachers, students and cops. Zafrin Ahmed, a provost of Begum Sirajunnesa Chowdhury Hall, was at the centre of the initial unrest as she allegedly misbehaved with some students on January 13 when they met her with some complaints.
She later resigned from her post, citing health issues.
