BCL men create chaos at SUST reception

Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology unit yesterday created chaos at the reception programme of first year students reportedly for not being formally invited.
According to campus sources, the reception programme was set to be held at Muktamancha at 10:00am and Sammilito Sangskritik Jote was assigned to run the cultural event in the evening -- like the other years.
The BCL men on December 30 submitted a memorandum to the proctor for not giving the Jote the duty. The next day they submitted another memorandum to boycott the programme on the same demand.
Following this, the VC on Saturday night informed the Jote activists to postpone the cultural event.
As the orientation programme began yesterday morning, BCL activists under the banner of general students motivated by the Liberation War formed a human chain at 12:00 noon and demanded punishment of the 'corrupt' administration.
At one stage, some 20 BCL activists got on the stage and submitted a memorandum to UGC Chairman AK Azad Chowdhury, who was present as the chief guest. This memorandum too had allegations of corruption by the administration, engineers and contractors.
Later, in his speech, VC Dr Saleh Uddin said, “Tomar holo suru, amar holo sara (Your beginning is my ending)”, following which the attendees assumed that he might not continue his job.
The VC also pointed out that the university's academic activities as well as cultural practices are running well and many development steps have been taken during his term.
Considering the BCL memorandum, the UGC chairman in his speech labelled the VC as a liar alleging that the administration is involved in corruption.
His speech sparked protests and criticism among students and teachers. Terming it 'beyond the bounds of decency', several teachers expressed their grievances to the Daily Star.
SUST Treasurer Prof Dr Elias Uddin Biswas, Registrar Dr Isfaqul Hossain, computer science and engineering department head Prof Dr Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, physics department head Dr Yasmeen Haque, students' welfare adviser Dr Md Yunus and deans of different faculties were also present on the stage during that time.
A reliable source said the BCL activists created the incident as part of a conspiracy by some teachers to force the VC to quit.
Several BCL activists told The Daily Star that they were enraged as the administration did not invite them to the programme.
Asked, SUST unit BCL convener Shamsuzzaman Chowdhury Suman denied the involvement of Chhatra League with the incident.
While contacted, VC Saleh Uddin told The Daily Star, “I have decided to leave the job with due prestige and honour as some people have been spreading propaganda against me for a long time. I have been harassed with the submission of a false complaint against me in front of 1,400 newcomers and their guardians.”
SUST Treasurer Dr Biswas said, “I shall also quit if the VC sir resigns.”