RU to shelve plan for evening courses

In the face of student agitation, the Rajshahi University authorities yesterday postponed their decision to introduce evening master's courses in all departments under social science faculty.
The authorities took the decision at an emergency meeting after the RU students of different departments called for an indefinite strike from today (Wednesday) to press home their demand for withdrawing the decision to introduce evening master's course in different departments under social science, law and business studies faculties.
The students gave the strike call at a press conference in the office of Rajshahi University Journalists' Association at around 1:45pm. Immediately after the strike call, Vice-Chancellor (VC) Prof Abdus Sobhan sat with the deans of nine faculties of the university in his office and took the decision.
The authorities, however, did not take any decision about two other faculties--law and business studies--where they decided to introduce evening master's course.
At around 8:30pm yesterday, the RU students withdrew their proposed indefinite strike from today, urging the authorities not to introduce evening master's course in two other faculties.
The students of social science faculty had been agitating since June 2 to press their demand for withdrawing the RU authorities' decision to introduce evening master's course in all eight departments under the faculty.
On Monday, the students of law and business studies faculties and other departments of the university joined the agitation and locked two academic buildings for four hours from 8:00am.
They also brought out a procession on the campus, held a rally in front of the administrative building and staged a sit-in for two hours on the premises of Rabindra Arts Building.