Hajee Danesh tech varsity closed <i>sine die </i>

Hajee Danesh Science and Technology University (HSTU) was ultimately closed indefinitely yesterday--five days into the incident of violent protests by the students for closing the university on June 29.
University sources said that the decision was taken at an academic council meeting chaired by Vice Chancellor Professor Dr. Afzal Hossain.
On June 29 the university authority suspended all academic activities till July 8 which triggered students to go on a rampage that night. They went berserk and damaged a number of vehicles and buildings including residence of the VC and confined him for seven hours protesting against the HSTU authority's decision. The police had to use batons and fire tear gas cells to bring the situation under control
After the incident, on June 30 Professor SM Dr. Harun Ur Rashid filed a case accusing 21 students, of whom 14 could be identified, pressing charges for damaging university property.
Meanwhile, Shamajtantrick Chhatra Front of Dinajpur demanded immediate withdrawal of the case and re-opening of the university.
Sources said the agitators had been protesting since June 22 for penalising 15 students for violating the discipline of the university.
Of them, one was fined Tk6000, nine were temporarily expelled and fined Tk5000 each and five students had their scholarships cancelled.
The students in a letter, urged the HSTU authorities to cancel their decisions but it had no effect.
The following day, the students held a press conference at Dinajpur Press Club and announced tougher programmes to realise their demands and decided to call for a hartal.
On Tuesday morning, the students started boycotting the classes which led the HSTU authority to decide to close the university till July 8 in a bid to mitigate the tension on the campus.
This angered the students who gathered at the administrative building with processions and confined around 12 people including the VC, registrar and lecturers inside the building.