JCD, the student wing of ruling BNP, issued the ultimatum from a large rally at the foot of Aparajeyo Bangla on the university campus.

Speakers at the meeting threatened the DU authorities with agitation programmes if they fail to take appropriate steps to reopen the varsity by Saturday.

"Chhatra League [a member of the opposition combine] is damaging the academic life of thousands of students for no reason. If they don't withdraw the strike, they will be held responsible for any untoward incident that may happen," warned JCD President Sahabuddin Laltu.

JCD General Secretary Azizul Bari Helal and leaders Salauddin Tuku, Selimuzzaman Selim and Shafiul Bari Babu also spoke at the meeting followed by a procession.

Some 30 other students under the banner of 'general students of the DU' also staged a demonstration on the campus yesterday demanding immediate end to the strike.

But leaders of the opposition student combine said the threats of BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan and the JCD will not make them call off the strike enforced to protest the attacks on their rally on September 11 and demanding punishment of the assailants.

"It's only natural that after Mannan Bhuiyan's 3-day ultimatum Chhatra Dal would want to create anarchy on the campus," said Delwar Hossain, DU unit president of AL-backed Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL).

"But, if any untoward incident takes place here, Mannan Bhuiyan will be responsible for that," he said in counter-threat.

Delwar and Ali Hasan Tarun, general secretary of JSD-backed BCL, told The Daily Star yesterday the opposition combine will take the final decision on whether to continue or end the strike after examining the DU probe report today (Thursday).

Another combine leader said there are possibilities of withdrawing the strike as of Saturday if the university authorities take action against those responsible for the September 11 attacks.

The probe committee into the September 11 incidents headed by DU Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof AFM Yusuf Haider was scheduled to submit its report to the VC yesterday.

DU VC Prof SMA Faiz said, "If we get the report this morning, it will be placed before the Syndicate on Thursday, but if in the afternoon, the Syndicate meeting will be held on Saturday."

He said if the Syndicate accepts the report and recommendations, the disciplinary board will take action according to the law.