Rokeya VC freed after 36-hour confinement

The vice-chancellor of Begum Rokeya University has been freed after 36 hours of confinement after the staff called off their siege programme.

A total of 138 officials and employees kept VC AKM Nur-un-Nabi confined to his office since 11am Thursday, demanding regularisation of jobs and payment of overdue salaries.

They withdrew the programme at around 11pm on Friday after the university assured them of fulfilling their demands.

They called off ongoing agitations until July 19.

Coming out of his office, the VC told reporters on Friday night: “I survived only on water for (last) 36 hours.”

The university staff had laid a six-day siege to the VC’s office in September last year, demanding payment of dues.

Section Officer (Grade-2) Obaidur Rahman said that they called off the programme following assurance that their demands would be met by July 19.

He, however, said they would resume the agitation on July 22 otherwise.

VC AKM Nur-un-Nabi

The VC said the university had discussions with the University Grants Commission to ensure regularisation of the services of the agitating officers and employees.

The university’s acting registrar Morshed-ul-Alam Roni said its former VC Muhammad Abdul Jalil Mia had appointed 333 officials and employees without the UGC’s approval.

Mia had regularised services of 195 of them.

He said provisional appointment of the 138 officials and employees, who are now agitating, expired in June last year.

The UGC had removed Mia over the appointment without its approval.