Tension continues at Rajshahi University as students protesting at the authorities’ decision to reinstate the ward quota in admissions scuffled with teachers and officials, leaving the pro-vice-chancellor (administration) effectively besieged in the teachers’ club on Saturday.
A group of teachers in the evening announced that the teachers, officials, and employees of the university would observe a complete work abstention on Sunday, protesting against the attack on their colleagues.
A group of students, who began hunger strike Friday night protesting at the authorities’ decision, continued their protests on the day.
Due to the tension on the campus, uncertainty looms over holding the elections to the Rajshahi University Central Students’ Union and hall unions, scheduled for September 25.
Witnesses said that a group of students led by a former coordinator of Students Against Discrimination, Salahuddin Ammar, waylaid the way of pro-VC (administration) Mohammad Main Uddin when he had been leaving the administration building at about 3:15pm.
After holding the car for about 20 minutes and snatching the keys from the driver, the students forced the pro-vice-chancellor to walk home, they said.
When the pro-VC tried to reach home, the students blocked the entrance to his residence and refused to move despite repeated requests from proctor Professor Mahbubur Rahman and other teachers.
At about 3:45pm, the pro-VC, the proctor and several other teachers, attempted to reach the Zubery building instead, which houses the teachers’ club and guest rooms.
The students, however, staged a sit-in at the gate of the building.
Tension escalated further at about 4:15pm when a confrontation at the Zubery building gate jostled with the officials who tried to break the blockade.
The students resisted them with a human chain, leading to scuffles. Several students were reported injured.
Witnesses alleged that the pro-vice-chancellor grabbed a student by the neck and pushed him on the stairs during the scuffle.
Later, the university officials, including the pro-VC, took shelter on the building’s second floor.
The students stayed on the stairways and verandas until 10:00pm, keeping the officials confined.
Pro-VC Mohammad Main Uddin said that he had no unilateral authority to resolve the issue and insisted decisions must be made collectively.
‘They can deprive me of meals or stop me entering my house, but I do not have the power to make a lone settlement,’ he said.
Proctor Mahbubur Rahman said that the students blocked his car and would not allow him to go home.
‘I later tried to enter the Zuberi building for discussions but was obstructed. At one stage, scuffles broke out. I cannot say who started it,’ he said.
He claimed that he found his wristwatch and Tk 10,000 went missing from his pocket during the scuffle.
Jatiyatabadi Teachers’ Forum president Professor Abdul Alim, at an emergency press briefing in front of the university senate building at about 9:30pm on Saturday, announced that the teachers, officials, and employees of the university would observe a complete work abstention on Sunday, protesting against the assault on their fellow colleagues.
He also demanded exemplary punishment of those involved in assaulting their colleagues.
Meanwhile, two of the students, who had begun an indefinite hunger strike at the base of the
graveyard of Shaheed Dr Shamsuzzoha Friday night demanding the withdrawal of the decision to reinstate the ward quota facility, fell sick and took treatment from the university medical centre.
They are Romjanul Mobarak of the arabic department, and Sayeed Ispahani of the social work department.
Sajibur Rahman Khan, one of the demonstrating students, said that they would continue their fight against ward quota facility.
Mafruha Siddiqua Lipi, chief medical officer at the university medical centre, said that the two students were administrated saline but they left the facility shortly afterward.
Witnesses said that the two sick students resumed their hunger strike.
Meanwhile, uncertainty is deepening over the elections to RUCSU and hall unions as the students vowed to continue their demonstrations until revoking the ward quota reinstatement decision.
Samajtantrik Chhatra Front’s university unit convener Fuad Ratul alleged that the university administration had brought the ward quota issue to the forefront to foil the RUCSU elections, scheduled for September 25.
RUCSU election chief election commissioner Professor F Nazrul Islam said that they were holding an emergency meeting of the election commission regarding the present situation on the campus.
On January 2, the administration, facing protests from the students, abolished the ward quota facility for undergraduate admission enjoyed by the children and grandchildren of teachers, officers and other employees of the university.
Previously, a 5 per cent quota was reserved for the children and grandchildren of the RU teachers, officers and other employees for taking admission to the university’s undergraduate courses.
In early August, a section of teachers, officers and employees began a movement demanding reinstatement of the facility and announced work abstention from September 21 if their demands were not met by the time.
Following their announcement, the authorities on Thursday reinstated the ward quota, triggering protests from the students.
