The Chittagong University (CU) authorities yesterday postponed their earlier decision of fee hike in the wake of student protest.
The authorities took the decision in a meeting held at 11:30am with Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof Md Alauddin in the chair. The deans of all faculties, proctor and assistant proctors attended the meeting.
A high-powered committee comprising the dean of all faculties, proctor and student affairs adviser was formed in the meeting to review the earlier decision of fee hike. Dean of the Social Science Faculty Prof Jyoti Prokash Dutta will head the committee that was asked to submit its report within seven days.
As the university reopened yesterday after one and a half months Ramadan and Eid vacation, the students held a meeting on the campus in the afternoon and vowed to continue agitation until their four-point demands were met. They also gave a seven-day ultimatum to the university authorities to meet the demands.
The demands are cancellation of increased fees, withdrawal of expulsion of a student, withdrawal of 'false' cases filed against some agitating students and punishment to the policemen who attacked the agitating students on the campus on August 2.
Earlier on the day, around 500 students wearing black badges brought out a procession on the campus protesting August 2 police attack. They also hoisted black flags atop all faculty buildings.
Tobarrak Hossain, an agitating student, blamed the CU authorities for not taking steps to review the decision of fee hike during 45-day vacation. He also questioned about sincerity of the authorities to meet their demands.
Probal Mazumder, president of Samajtantrik Chhatra Front CU unit, said the general students will continue their agitation until their demands are met.
The CU authorities in an emergency meeting on August 2 closed the university until September 16 following a violent clash between the agitating students and police. At least 50 students were injured in police attack on the day.