Admin buildings besieged for second day at JU
Students and teachers of Jahangirnagar University (JU) besieged the two administrative buildings for the second consecutive day yesterday, protesting alleged corruption of the authorities and unplanned development work which they say would endanger the biodiversity of the campus.
The protesters started gathering on the campus and blocked entrances of the two buildings around 8:30am under the banner of “Jahangirnagar Against Corruption.”
JU Pro-vice Chancellor (education) Professor Nurul Alam and Pro-VC (Admin) Prof Amir Hussain talked to the protesters on behalf of the administration around 9:15 am. Later, the protesters rejected the administration’s proposal as they didn’t get proper assurance from them.
Around 10am, a group of administrative officials led by university Treasurer Prof Sheikh Md Manzurul Huq along with a proctorial body held a discussion with the demonstrators at the site of the protest. But it didn’t yield any results either.
However, the protesters demanded a specific proposal from the university authority.
Ashikur Rahman, president of Jahangirnagar Sangskritik Jote and one of the leaders of the protest, said, “We won’t agree to sit with the administration only for small talk. We want a specific proposal that addresses our demands, and only then we will discuss with them.”
He added that their protest will continue today. Protesters said they will agree to a meeting presided by an official of the state or of University Grants Commission, but the VC cannot preside over the meeting as the allegations have been brought against her.
Talking to The Daily Star, Prof Anu Muhammad of Economics department -- who took part in the protest -- said, “We repeatedly urged them (authorities) to engage teachers of different departments and listen to their suggestions. We suggested they take around three months of time, make a participatory master-plan and disclose it on the university website.”
Instead of a transparent, participatory master-plan, they have created a hide-and-seek situation, so there is room for doubt, he said.
He also urged the higher authorities to conduct an enquiry over allegations of corruption and tender-schedule snatching.
Contacted, JU Vice-Chancellor Prof Farzana Islam said about the protest, “When a protest starts, several groups instigate it further because they have ulterior motives. This movement has also become a little complex. We hope to find a solution as soon as possible. Our administrative body has already talked to them. I also spoke with one of the teachers.”
Agitated students of JU have been demonstrating on campus since August 23 demanding the relocation of three male students’ dormitories which the authorities planned to construct near Rabindranath Hall, and a judicial probe into the allegations of corruption.
Comments