BAU students demand vice chancellor’s apology, threaten ‘strict protests’

“If our six-point list of demands is not accepted, there can be a lockdown or a blackout of the entire university,” a protest leader says

Protesting students at Bangladesh Agricultural University have presented an ultimatum to push for a six-point list of demands, including an apology from Vice Chancellor Fazlul Haque Bhuiyan over an attack by outsiders.

AHM Himel, a third-year student in the Faculty of Animal Husbandry and representative of the protesters, highlighted their demands to the media during a demonstration in front of the campus’s administrative building at 11:30am on Monday.

Himel said that the administration’s order for students to leave residential halls should be withdrawn by 2pm, all facilities should be ensured in the halls, the proctorial body should resign within 24 hours, and the vice-chancellor should publicly apologise over the attack.

In addition, their demands include exemplary punishment for the teachers involved in the attack - including Asaduzzaman Sarkar, Tofazzal, Sharif, Rafi, Bazlur Rahman Molla, Monir, Ashikur Rahman and Kamruzzaman - from the Faculty of Agriculture, and the immediate awarding of combined degrees for students from the Faculty of Animal Husbandry and the Faculty of Veterinary Science.

“If our six-point list of demands is not accepted, there can be a lockdown or a blackout of the entire university," Himel said.

Ten people, including journalists and students, were injured in an attack by outsiders on Sunday, when about 200 teaching and administrative staff were blocked from leaving a building by protesting students.

An emergency syndicate meeting that night closed the university indefinitely and ordered students to vacate residential halls by 9am on Monday.

Refusing the order, students gathered at the KR Market area around 9am. Later, after a protest march on the campus, the students delivered a six-point ultimatum.

University Proctor Abdul Alim said, "Many students have complied with the order. Others have stayed and are protesting.”

"When the halls are empty, the responsibility usually falls on the local administration. We are also talking to them on the matter. Let's see what can be done."

BAU has nine residential halls for boys and men and five halls for girls and women. About 6,500 students live at these halls.