JCD men confine JU provost, 8 house tutors

The Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) activists at Jahangirnagar University (JU) unit Sunday confined the provost and house tutors of Shahid Salam Barkat (SSB) hall inside the hall office for three hours as the hall authorities expelled three of its activists Friday.

Prof A K M Shahnawaz, the provost of the hall, and eight house tutors of the hall were confined while a hall meeting was going on inside.

The JCD activists swooped on the hall office at around 10:30pm. Cutting off the power and telephone lines, they kept the office under lock and key. They also heckled the teachers.

Keeping the teachers confined, the JCD activists brought out a procession in the hall demanding immediate removal of the provost.

Upon information, Vice Chancellor (VC) Prof Jasim Uddin Ahmad came to the SSB hall at around 11:45pm and after half an hour's persuasion the JCD leaders allowed him to enter. About 50 teachers also gathered at the hall gate at that time.

Later, the confined teachers were freed at around 1:30pm after the activists had an hour long meeting with the VC.

The JCD activists demanded withdrawal of expulsion order, replacement of the provost and reshuffle in the hall authority.

"They attempted to beat us after cutting the utility lines," said Prof. Shahnawaz.

"We expelled the JCD activists according to the rules of the hall. So, there is no reason to withdraw it," he added.

The hall authority issued the order without any warning, said Harunur Rashid, secretary of JU unit of the JCD.

Meanwhile, the hall officials started work abstention since 11:15pm Sunday night demanding punishment of those involved in the incident.

They vowed to continue the programme until their demand was met.

The Jahangirnagar University Teachers' Association (JUTA) condemned the incident and demanded exemplary punishment to those responsible.

JUTA called an emergency meeting on August 13 to decide on the plan of action to be followed.

Earlier, three JCD men were expelled for beating the manager and caterer of the SSB hall canteen who complained against them to the hall authority for non-payment of bills.