Dhaka, Jan 17 (Just News): The agitating students of Dhaka University on Wednesday gave the authorities 48 hours to take action against Bangladesh Chhatra League’s leaders who attacked their demonstration seeking cancellation of the affiliation of colleges with the university.
The students under the banner of ‘Students against Repression’ ended their daylong demonstration around 6:30pm following assurance from the vice-chancellor to meet all their demands within the deadline.
Their demands include forming a body including two student representatives to investigate the incident of attack and sexual harassment by BCL activists and submit report in 48 hours, expelling the activists involved in sexual harassment and action against the BCL leaders who had picked up an organiser of the movement.
Meanwhile, Moshiur Rahman Sadik, who led the movement, was released from Shahbagh Police Station after interrogation for his alleged involvement in ‘destabilising’ the university as alleged by university the proctor.
Moshiur Rahman Sadik’s brother Sohel Rahman confirmed the news.
Earlier, on 4:30pm, students demonstrated at the VC office where they placed their three-point demand including temporary suspension of BCL leaders involved in sexual harassment.
Assuring the protestors, the VC, Professor Akhtaruzzman, asked the students to submit a formal complaint, with photos and video footage of Monday’s incident.
BCL leaders, including Shaheed Sargent Zahurul Huq Hall president Sohanur Rahman Sohan, Hazi Mohammad Muhsin Hall general secretary Mehedi Hasan Sani, Bangabandhu Hall general secretary Al Amin Rahman, Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall president Benjeer Hossain Nishi, Ruqiayyah Hall president Lipi Akter, Kuwait Moitri Hall president Farida Parvin, general secretary Sraboni Shaila, Sufia Kamal Hall general secretary Sharjia Shampa allegedly assaulted the female students on Monday.
The agitating students moved to the VC office after confining DU proctor Professor AKM Golam Rabbani to his office at Arts Building for more than four hours as he failed to assure the demonstrators of taking any action.
Around11:30am on Wednesday, the students formed a human chain near Aparajeyo Bangla, which was followed by a procession that paraded the campus and ended at the entrance to the arts faculty.
As staff of the proctor’s office locked the building, which housed the proctor office, the protestors broke the collapsible gate.
In face of protest, the proctor assured them of forming a probe body immediately but the students rejected his assurance as he did not mention any specific deadline.
The proctor also could not give any reason for handing over Sadik to the law enforces.
The protesting students also threatened to wage a tougher movement demanding resignation of VC and proctor if the authorities failed to meet their demands within the deadline.
Earlier on Monday, BCL activists swooped on the students, who were staging a sit-in in front of vice-chancellor’s office, demanding cancellation of the recent affiliation of seven colleges with the university.
BCL leaders and activists allegedly molested some female protestors during the attack and picked up Sadik while two campus-based journalists were assaulted as they were covering the incident.
(Justnews/ys/2320)
