Unrest at Rajshahi University over ward quota reinstatement is gathering heat as the agitation of the teachers and other staff demanding quota restoration gets intense, while the students launch a counter protest.
Earlier in January, the university administration, pressured by the students who deemed the privilege as discriminatory and unjust, abolished the ward quota for undergraduate admission to the university for the children and grandchildren of its teaching and other staff.
On Tuesday, a section of the university鈥檚 teachers and staff enforced a full-day work abstention after three consecutive days of partial strikes, halting most academic and administrative activities except examinations and urgent services.
They also staged a sit-in for four hours in front of the administrative building from 9:00am, from where they warned of tougher move if their demand was not met.
Addressing the sit-in, Urdu department professor Shahidul Islam said that they were demanding 鈥榠nstitutional facilities鈥� rather than quota benefits, pointing out that other universities granted such privileges to the children of teaching and other staff.
RU Officers鈥� Association president Moktar Hossain threatened to paralyse the campus, declaring, 鈥楴o offices will run, no classes will be held. We will see who keeps the university functional without us.鈥�
Countering the quota reinstatement movement, students on the day brought out a protest procession on the campus and then staged a sit-in in front of the vice-chancellor鈥檚 residence, carrying placards and chanting slogans against what they called 鈥榠njustice under a new name鈥�.
Philosophy student Ashikullah Muhib said that teachers and officials had turned unfair privileges into their rights.
鈥極rdinary students do not get a chance even if they secure 67鈥�68 marks in admission, while the children of the teachers and staff get admission even if they fail to secure minimum pass marks. This is unfair,鈥� he said.
Fazle Rabbi Md Fahim Reza, former coordinator of RU unit of Students Against Discrimination, said that they would resist any conspiracy to reinstate the abolished ward quota under any name.
Contacted, university vice-chancellor Professor Saleh Hasan Naqib said that there was no possibility of restoring the ward quota.
鈥楬owever, since we have to run the university taking all with us, there is still room for discussion on the issue and I believe it will be solved,鈥� he said.
On January 2, the university abolished the ward quota privilege for undergraduate admission enjoyed by the children and grandchildren of teachers, officers and other employees.
The decision for cancellation came when on the same day agitating students confined the vice-chancellor, pro-vice-chancellors and other officials inside the administration building for 12 hours.
Previously, under the ward quota, 5 per cent seats were reserved for the children and grandchildren of the RU teachers, officers and other employees for admission to the university鈥檚 undergraduate courses.
