Students boycott exams demanding fee cut

Students of Jessore Science and Technology University stage a demonstration on the campus yesterday, demanding reduction in master's admission and semester fees. Photo: Star

Students of Jessore Science and Technology University (JSTU) started fresh agitation yesterday, demanding reduction in master's admission and semester fees.
First, second, third and fourth year honours students under 12 faculties boycotted their semester final examinations and staged a demonstration on the campus. In the face of students' agitation, the university authorities postponed all examination and master's classes until June 10.
Earlier, on May 21, around 2,000 students confined Vice-Chancellor Prof Abdus Sattar to his office, protesting fixation of semester and first ever master's admission fees. They also submitted a memorandum to Proctor Noor Alam on the day.
Their agitation came to a halt on May 22 as the authorities declared the university closed until June 5 for summer vacation. The university reopened on June 6.
The university authorities fixed master's admission fees at Tk 18,000 and semester fees at Tk 4,500. The students demanded that the authorities fix master's admission fees at Tk 4,000 and semester fees at Tk 3,000.
They said their agitation and boycott of examinations will continue until the demands are met. A meeting of the university regent board is scheduled to be held on June 10 to discuss the fee fixation issues, said Md assistant Registrar Md Emdadul Haque.
A third-year hounours student, seeking anonymity said they have started boycotting examinations to mount pressure on the university authorities to meet their demands.