Govt lifts restrictions on reopening

The caretaker government yesterday lifted restrictions on reopening of public universities and said the syndicates will now decide on resuming academic activities at the institutions.
The decision was made at a meeting between Education Adviser Ayub Quadri and the vice chancellors of 26 public universities.
"We have lifted all kinds of restrictions on reopening of the public universities. The syndicates of the respective universities will now decide on when they will reopen their institutions," the adviser told reporters.
He said the syndicates would take decisions considering the prevailing situation on the campuses. "We will issue letters to all the public universities informing today's decision within two days," he added.
The caretaker government imposed curfew in six divisional headquarters and shut down all universities and colleges directing to vacate all dormitories on August 22.
Later the government lifted curfew and reopened private universities and other private educational institutes.
The adviser hoped that most public universities excepting a few specially the Dhaka University (DU) and the Rajshahi University (RU) would reopen soon.
"There is no plan to offer amnesty to the students of the DU and the RU," he said adding, "Actions will be taken according to the law."
DU Vice Chancellor SMA Faiz said he would hold syndicate meeting soon and discuss about the government decision.
"As the chief of the syndicate, I will try to reopen the university as early as possible. But we have to consider the present situation especially after the arrests of Khaleda and Hasina," Faiz told reporters.
The DU VC said he informed the adviser of the teachers' feelings of insecurity.
He said the Dhaka University Teachers' Association (Duta) has proposed to reopen the university after Ramadan.
RU VC Altaf Hossain said situations
on the Dhaka and Rajshahi campuses is different from other public universities and for this reason the syndicates of both the universities would have to take decisions considering many issues.
Education Secretary M Mamtazul Islam and Additional Secretary Abdul Awal Mujumdar were present in the meeting.
Meanwhile, the Duta yesterday urged the university authorities to take proper steps to remove "sense of insecurity" feelings prevailing among the teachers and the students, and restore normalcy on the campus.
A Duta delegation made the request when they met the vice chancellor.
The delegation members included Duta Vice President Tajmeri S Islam, Joint Secretary Mamun Ahmed and executive members AAMS Arefin Siddique, Sadeka Halim, Shajahan Miah and Sukumar Barua.
Arefin Siddique said they have urged the university authorities to contact the government to ensure that the teachers and students are not harassed anymore.