70 eminent citizens support JU students protest over ‘corruption’

A total of 70 eminent citizens gave a statement supporting an ongoing protest of Jahangirnagar students and teachers over alleged corruption of the authorities and unplanned development work.

The statement was undersigned by Dhaka University Prof Emeritus Serajul Islam Chowdhury and Human Rights activists -- Sultana Kamal, Hamida Hossain, Khushi Kabir and others.

In the statement, they expressed their concern over finalising the mega projects without consultation with the teachers and students.

If the allegations regarding the development projects are true, it would be undemocratic and undesired, the statement said.

The mega projects should be finalised and implemented through a democratic process so that the projects are accepted by all, it added.

They demanded proper investigation into the misappropriation of Tk 2 crore from the project fund, it said.

WHY JU STUDENTS ARE PROTESTING?

The agitated students of JU have been demonstrating on the campus since August 23 demanding the relocation of three male students’ dormitories which the authorities planned to construct near Rabindranath Hall, and judicial probe into the allegations of corruption and irregularities took place before the approval of these mega projects.

The students and teachers also protested against the corruption of the authorities and unplanned development works which would endanger the biodiversity of the campus.