Of BCL harassment and student protest

In continuation of their protest, the agitating students of Dhaka University (DU) yesterday afternoon covered the faces of Raju Memorial Sculpture and Aparajeyo Bangla in black cloth on the campus.

They have been staging demonstrations demanding punishment for Bangladesh Chhatra League activists, who assaulted and harassed them during a demonstration on January 15.

Prior to that, on Thursday night, some of the students staged a sit-in at Raju memorial with posters reading “I'm a demonstrator. Arrest me” and “I'm a vandal. Arrest me” and continued the protest till Friday.

Yesterday, they also demanded withdrawal of the “false case” filed by the university administration against the students who broke the gate of Arts Building and demonstrated on Wednesday demanding punishment for the BCL men.

Earlier in the morning, around 100 students brought out a procession on the campus to press home their four-point demand.

The students also announced to lay siege to the vice chancellor's office on Tuesday if their demands were not met.

“The authorities are suppressing our voice. That's why we covered the faces of the sculptures symbolising the absence of democracy on the campus,” said Umme Habiba Benojir, president of Chhatra Federation of DU unit.

Earlier on Thursday, the university administration filed a case against 50 unidentified students who allegedly broke the collapsible gate of the proctor's office during a demonstration on Wednesday.

Protests broke out on Wednesday as the authorities failed to take any action against the BCL men, who on January 15 assaulted a group of students staging a sit-in in front of the VC office, demanding cancellation of affiliation of seven colleges with DU.