JU students, teachers protest ‘unplanned dev’

Agitated students of Jahangirnagar University (JU) yesterday staged a demonstration on campus, protesting what they termed “ongoing unplanned development”, corruption, and endangering bio-diversity.

The protest was organised by a newly formed platform, “Jahangirnagar Against Corruption”.

Over 200 teachers and students of the university brought out a procession that started from social sciences faculty and ended at Murad Chattar on the campus.

At a rally that followed, they demanded relocating the three male students’ dormitories which are planned to be constructed near Rabindranath Hall, and a judicial enquiry into corruption and tender snatching. 

Speakers there also protested assault on two journalists when they went to ask Vice-Chancellor Prof Farzana Islam on Thursday at her office about corruption in the ongoing mega-project. 

Prof Sayeed Ferdous of Anthropology department said, “From the beginning of the mega project, university authorities are playing hide-and-seek about a ‘master plan’, creating ambiguity among all. Disregarding the campus communities’ opinions, they (authorities) are trying to spend a huge amount of money in an unclear manner.”

President of JU cultural alliance Ashikur Rahman said, “University administration has created a farce in the name of development. We demand a judicial inquiry against the corruption as soon as possible.”

“We are not against development, we also want it. But, development should be planned properly,” said Shamima Sultana, a student of the university’s Bangla department.  

Coordinator of the platform, associate Prof Rayhan Rhyne; Chhatra Front general secretary Mohammad Dider, JU Chhatra Union executive member Rakibul Rony, and quota reformist leader Abu Sayeed also spoke at the rally, among others.