The students of Bangladesh Agricultural University continued their protests for the second day running on Monday, demanding apology from the vice-chancellor, resignation of the proctorial body and action against outsiders and some teachers for an attack on them.
Defying the university authorities鈥� order to vacate the halls by Monday morning after the university was declared closed on Sunday night, the students continued protests pressing for a six-point demand charter.
They also blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh rail track for two and a half hours in the afternoon for the second consecutive day.
About the allegations of attack on the students by the outsiders, the university authorities claimed that there were no outsiders rather there were relatives of the teachers and some locals.
Earlier on Sunday night, the university authorities shut down the institution for an indefinite period after students had confined over 250 teachers, the聽 vice-chancellor among them, on the campus for about eight hours, demanding a combined degree for two faculties.
The teachers got free from where they were confined after someone had unlocked the gate when outsiders allegedly attacked the students triggering a clash with the protesting students.
The students claimed that at least 10 people, including female students, were injured in the attack.
No case was filed in the incident till Monday evening.
The authorities, while ordering all the students to vacate the halls by 9:00am Monday, also took decision to hand over the institution鈥檚 law and order responsibilities to the district administration under the circumstances.
On Monday morning some female students were seen leaving the halls.
At around 9:10am, the students brought out processions from their halls and took position in the KR market area and also at different spots on the campus.
They also held a press conference in Amtala area on the campus, presenting their demands: the vice-chancellor must publicly apologise for the incidents of crude bomb explosion, vandalism, attacks on students, and harassment of female students all by outsiders; withdrawal of the hall vacating order by 2:00pm Monday; resignation of the proctorial body within 24 hours; exemplary punishment of eight teachers and outsiders for involvement in the attack; and integrating the veterinary science and animal husbandry faculties to confer a single degree.
On Monday, a statement was issued signed by registrar (acting) Arif Jahangir.
The statement read that on Sunday the students locked 251 teachers and around 50 other officials at the Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin auditorium for about eight hours.
In the afternoon some relatives of the teachers, including their elderly parents, and some worried villagers gathered outside the auditorium as the students remained unmoved by the requests of the teachers, deputy commissioner and police administration, the statement read.
At one point some unidentified people opened the auditorium lock and when a scuffle occurred with the students who tried to prevent unlocking the auditorium.聽
The statement also alleged that a vested quarter was trying to trigger unrest by vandalising the university properties.聽
Replying to a question, BAU public relations and publications director (in charge), Mohammad Toufiqul Islam said that as the district administration was handling the university鈥檚 law and order, it lay with the deputy commissioner to decide whether to file a case on the Sunday鈥檚 incident.
Mymensingh deputy commissioner Mofidul Alam said that he was responsible for the law and order situation of the entire district and the university fell under it.
鈥業t is the responsibility of the aggrieved party, here the university administration, to file a case,鈥� he said, adding that till 8:30pm Monday the law and order situation on the campus was good.
They were, meanwhile, trying to reach a mutual understanding with the students, the DC said.聽
On Monday afternoon, rail communications on the Dhaka-Mymensingh route snapped for two and a half hours after protesting students blocked the rail tracks between 4:00pm and 6:30pm.
Bangladesh Railway鈥檚 Dhaka divisional railway manager Md Mohiuddin Arif said that the blockade disrupted the journeys of four trains on the route.聽
On Sunday also, the students blocked the track for four hours.
抖阴精品 correspondent at Jagannath University reported that its teachers under the banner of Jagannath University Teachers Association formed a human chain on the campus on Monday, protesting at the recent attacks on students of BAU and Chittagong University.
The association鈥檚 joint secretary Professor Belal Hossain said, 鈥楾he attacks on political leaders and students in recent days resemble the pre-August 5 situation.鈥�
