JU closed; police detain 42 students protesting deaths of peers

Jahangirnagar University authorities have closed the university sine die and ordered the students to vacate the halls by 10am on Sunday.

Jahangirnagar University Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 27 May 2017, 07:15 PM
Updated : 28 May 2017, 09:47 AM

At least 40 students were arrested by police Saturday night from near the VC's campus residence as they were protesting the closure of the University and fellow students' deaths.  

The decision to shut the campus and vacate the dormitories came after demonstrating students blockaded the Dhaka-Aricha Highway and later vandalised Vice Chancellor Farzana Islam's residence in protest against the deaths of two fellow students in a road crash.

Associate Professor Nazmul Hassan Talukder, a member of the university's syndicate, said the decision was taken at an urgent meeting on Saturday night.

Meanwhile, police have arrested dozens of students after the protesters broke into the VC's house and went on a rampage later in the night.

Ashulia Police Station OC Mohsinul Quadir said the number of detainees was around 42, including 10 females.

The university authorities also formed a six-member committee to investigate the 'violent protests'.

Earlier in the afternoon, police charged batons and used tear gas shells to disperse students blocking the highway.

Marketing student Nazmul Hasan Rana and the microbiology department's Arafat died early Friday after a bus ran over them on the highway in front of the campus.

Students are enraged by the university authorities' decision to send the bodies to the families without funeral prayers on the campus.

They blocked the highway for an hour on Friday and resumed demonstrations around 12pm on Saturday.

Despite several attempts, the university authorities failed to remove the demonstrators from the highway.

Around 5pm, police fired the teargas shells and charged batons to clear the highway. Traffic resumed after around another half an hour.

The protesters are also demanding installation of police check posts at all the gates, a footbridge at Joy Bangla gate, sufficient speed-breakers on the highway, a speed limit, job for the relatives of the deceased students in the university, and Tk 1 million compensation for each of the families of the victims.