IU students block highway for resumption of classes

General students of Islamic University (IU) yesterday block Kushtia-Khulna highway, demanding resumption of their classes and examinations. Academic activities at the university came to a halt on September 8 due to a deadlock that followed controversy over appointment of 132 teachers and officials on the previous day.Photo: STAR

The general students of Islamic University (IU) yesterday blocked Kushtia-Khulna highway, demanding immediate resumption of their classes and examinations.
Around 500 students of different departments took out a procession on the campus and then put up barricades on the road in front of the university, disrupting traffic for around one and a half hours from 11:00am. They also formed a human chain on the road.
After withdrawing the road blockade, the agitating students held a rally at the main entrance to the university. They blamed the authorities concerned for not taking any steps to end the three and a half month-long deadlock at the university.
The deadlock situation began on September 8 after the university authorities recruited 132 teachers and officials at the university on September 7.
Islamic University Teachers Association (IUTA) began agitation on the day (September 8) demanding removal of the vice chancellor, pro-vice chancellor and treasurer for their alleged involvement in irregularities in the recruitment of the teachers and officials.
They have been continuing agitation for the last three and a half months to press for their demand. Yesterday, they held a rally in front of the administrative building with IUTA President, Prof Yakub Ali in the chair.
At the rally, the association announced fresh agitation programme, including token hunger strike, from today to mount pressure on the authorities concerned to meet their demand.
The rally was addressed, among others by, IUTA General Secretary Prof ASM Tariqul Islam, Bangabandhu Parishad IU unit President Prof Abul Ahsan Chowdhury, General Secretary Prof Ruhul Kuddus Saleh, Prof Mahbubur Rahman, law faculty dean Prof Shahjahan Mondol, business faculty dean Prof Mizanur Rahman, former IUTA president prof Matinur Rahman and ProfAlinur Rahman.
The speakers urged the government to break the deadlock by appointing honest and competent persons as new vice chancellor, pro-vice chancellor and treasurer, removing the present ones.