Jagannath University students hit the streets again demanding new halls

Jagannath University (JnU) students on Wednesday locked down the administrative building of the institution and hit the streets again, drawing up plans to continue to press for their demands to be accepted through the week.

The students are demanding the allotment of new residential halls to them.

On Wednesday, they held several processions inside the campus before finally proceeding to lock down the new administrative building of the varsity.

They then held a sit-in in front of the main administrative building and then hit the streets.

They also announced plans to hold an assembly of teachers and intellectuals near the Central Shaheed Minar on Friday.

A torch rally has been planned at Shahbagh on the same evening and on Saturday they expect to form a human chain comprising students of all public universities of the country.

After locking down the university, the students hit the streets.

Though police tried to stop them with barricades at Rai Shaheb Bazar and Bangshal, the students breached them and marched ahead. They held a sit-in at Paltan where they were asked to stop by police.

Organiser Raisul Islam Nayan said, "Students of all universities have lent support to the movement."

DMP Kotwali Zone Assistant Commissioner Shahen Shah told bdnews24.com that although the students had breached the barricades at Rai Shaheb Bazaar and Bangshal, police did not stop them as their protest was peaceful.

He said that the students were asked to stop at Paltan. He added that the students were asked to vacate the place by 1pm.

The students returned to the campus within the time allotted by police.

JnU students started the movement on Aug 2 demanding that a new hall be constructed at the spot where the Dhaka Central Jail was previously situated on Nazimuddin Road in Old Dhaka.

Last Wednesday, the students staged a sit-in in front of the National Press Club after their attempts to surround the education ministry was dispersed by police.

After observing strikes on Thursday and Sunday, they tried to march to the Prime Minister's Office on Monday.

Faced with police resistance at Bangshal, they staged their protest at Tantibazar from where they announced their decision to abstain from classes on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Influential people have occupied 11 halls of the college-turned-university since 1985 on various pretexts. The government woke up to the issue after vigorous protests in 2009.

But despite recommendations from the land ministry, the Dhaka district administration did not take steps to hand over ownership of several halls to the university authorities.

Two of the halls were recovered in 2011 and 2014, but they are yet to be renovated for use.

Another hall is still occupied by a local influential person, with no plans in place to have it returned.

The university authorities have also been planning to build two new halls, but there has been no progress on the matter.