Rokeya University: BCL men confine VC to his office

Chhatra League leaders and activists of Begum Rokeya University (BRU) in Rangpur confined Vice Chancellor Prof AKM Nurun Nabi to his office around 11:30am yesterday demanding the VC appoints BCL leaders to several university posts on an ad hoc basis.

The BCL men started the agitation just two days ahead of the expiry of the VC's four-year tenure.

Witnesses said a group of BCL men laid siege to the VC's office and locked the door of his room from the outside. The siege continued till filing of this report at 8:30pm.

Officials and students of the university said some 50 BCL men, led by former BRU BCL vice president Hadiuzzaman Hadi, brought out a procession on the campus in the morning demanding the VC employs them.

Imtiaz Basunia, president of Shahid Mukhtar Ilahi Hall, and his supporters Titas Chandra and Foysal Azam Fain, among others, took part in the procession.

Leaders of BCL, a pro-Awami League student front, claimed the VC had assured them of jobs at the university, but he didn't keep his promise.    

Chhatra League men also threatened to launch tougher agitation if their demand was not met.

However, Tusher Kibria, president of the BRU BCL, said they were not with the agitating students.

Talking to The Daily Star over the phone, VC Prof Nurun Nabi said BCL men confined him to his office soon after he returned there after wrapping up a meeting with university officials and teachers.

He said he could not employ anyone violating the employment rules of the University Grants Commission of Bangladesh.

ABM Zahidul Islam, officer-in-charge of Rangpur Sadar Police Station, said a police team was deployed on the campus to avoid any law and order problems.