Sweeping out the evil spirit of corruption
Protests against ‘illegal enrolment’, ‘recruitment business’ continue at DU
Several student organisations of Dhaka University yesterday demonstrated on the campus, protesting “illegal enrolment” of 34 former and incumbent Bangladesh Chhatra League leaders into an evening programme of the Faculty of Business Studies and “recruitment business” over appointment of some administrative posts in Ruqayyah hall.
Under the banner, “Dhaka University against Corruption and Fraudulence”, the protesters demanded resignation of Prof Shibli Rubayat Ul Islam, dean of the business studies faculty, and Prof Zeenat Huda, provost of the hall.
Shouting slogans such as “drive out prevailing evil spirit of corruption”, they brought out a procession from Teacher-Student Centre (TSC), which ended in front of the Ducsu building. They also held a rally there.
During the rally, some students were dressed up as “shamans” with brooms in their hands while others as “evil spirits”. With fumes billowing out of clay pots, shamans sat on the ground and performed their rituals of “sweeping the evil spirit of corruption out of the university”.
Speaking at the rally, Hasan Al Mamun, convener of the quota reformists’ platform, said, “We [DU students] demand resignation of the vice chancellor, dean of business studies faculty and Ruqayyah hall’s provost.”
Ragib Naeem, general secretary of DU unit Chhatra Union, echoed him.
Students also placed a three-point demand -- expelling those who got admitted illegally; vacating their Ducsu posts and holding by-election to the posts, and resignation of the VC, dean and hall provost.
DUCSU VP WRITES TO VC
In a letter written to VC Prof Md Akhtaruzzman yesterday, Ducsu vice president Nurul Haque Nur urged the VC to cancel studentship of the Ducsu and hall union leaders who were enrolled without any admission test and to vacate their posts.
“To continue their studentship, 34 students were enrolled into a programme under Banking and Insurance Department after the [Ducsu] election schedule was announced, which is contradictory to the university or evening programme rules,” read the letter.
“Students are enrolled in evening programmes after taking admission test and viva voce. Thus, I am requesting you to cancel studentship of those 34 students, declare the posts empty and take action against the dean of business studies faculty,” it added.