NSU students demand 30% waiver of tuition fees
A group of North South University students today staged a sit-in programme on the campus, demanding 30 percent waiver of fees in the upcoming Fall-2020 semester due to the coronavirus pandemic.
They also demanded cancellation of all student activities fees -- like computer lab fee, library fees and others -- as authorities are holding classes online and they have no scope to use the campus facilities.
"We demand 30 percent waiver of tuition fees and cancellation of student activities fees, as that will ease the financial burden of students and their guardians," said a student of Electrical and Electronic Engineering department.
Students said that their demands should be fulfilled before October 22, when the fall semester will commence.
"If the authorities do not pay heed to our demands we would wage tougher protests," a student said.
The students staged the sit-in in front of the university gate for several hours from 11:00am to press home their demands.
NSU Vice-Chancellor Professor Atiqul Islam was not available for comments although this correspondent made phone calls and sent text messages several times till about 5:45pm.
"We will get back to you regarding a decision on fee waiver by October 22," university authorities said in a message to all students over mobile phone in the afternoon, students said.
The students left in the evening and are likely to stage demonstrations from 10:30am tomorrow, said a student of the EEE department.
While talking to The Daily Star around 11:40pm, NSU Vice-Chancellor Professor Atiqul Islam said, "We have already sent a message to students. We will get back to them (students) regarding a decision on fee waiver by October 22."
A top official of the NSU administration said the matter of providing waiver to students is in the hands of board of trustees.
The board of trustees is in discussion and is yet to make any decision in this regard, the official said.
"We understand that the authority will make a decision in this regard with the board of trustees and finance committee, which is headed by a trustee," added the NSU official.
Comments