TIB urges authorities at JU to accept students’ demands

Expressing solidarity with the ongoing student protests at Jahangirnagar University (JU), Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) yesterday urged JU authorities to probe into the “irregularities” centring its development work. 

“It is essential to ensure clarity in development work at all educational institutes including universities. The university authority’s job is to ensure accountability and their failure to do so in this case is disconcerting,” Dr Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of TIB, said in a statement issued yesterday.

The authority has repeatedly failed to review the demands of the protesters in this regard. It is time to sit with the protesters and realise their demands, he said.

Expressing concern over the allegations, the anti-graft watchdog urged the authorities to investigate, so that the perpetrators can be brought to book.

According to media reports, JU authority is carrying out large-scale development activities, including construction of some new dormitories on the campus in an “unplanned” way.

Iftekharuzzaman also urged JU authorities to take immediate and effective measures to resolve the issue. He added that they should refrain from applying force to control the peaceful movement.

“The authorities should consider the demands of the protesting students without any delay and take effective steps to ensure accountability,” he added.

JU teachers and students have been demonstrating since Friday after it was circulated that some BCL leaders allegedly took money, promising not to stand in the way of a Tk 1,445-crore campus development project. They also claimed that the ongoing development activities are “unplanned”, and endangering the biodiversity of the campus.