Agitating Dhaka University students break into VC’s office

Students of Dhaka University have broken into the office of the vice-chancellor with a series of demands, including the removal of the proctor.

A loose alliance of students, who identify themselves as an anti-repression group, took out a procession around 11:30am on Tuesday.

They reached the VC’s office after parading through TSC, Faculty of Arts and Faculty of Business Studies. Around 12pm, they broke into the office premises.

They broke the collapsible gate of the building open almost an hour later.   

The students threatened to keep occupying the VC’s office until the demands are met, some of the protesters told bdnews24.com.

Vice-Chancellor Prof Md Akhtaruzzaman was inside his office when the protesters barged in.

The alliance came into being after female students were allegedly assaulted by Bangladesh Chhatra League activists at a rally that urged the DU to scrap its affiliation with seven Dhaka-based colleges.

The incident was reported on Jan 15.

They laid siege to the proctor’s office a day later demanding removal of the accused activists of Chhatra League, the student wing of the ruling Awami League.

They also demanded that the authorities open an inquiry into the “attack” and file a report within two days.

The DU authorities sued 50 unidentified students on Jan 18 accusing them of vandalising the proctor’s office. Students took out a procession in protest the same night.

“We had gone to the proctor’s office to demand penalty for the Chhatra League activists. But he failed (to address the matter) and drove us back to the vice-chancellor,” said Masud Al Mahdi, a student of mass communication and journalism.

“They failed to meet out ultimatum. Moreover, they filed a case against 50 unidentified students.”

Mahdi urged the authorities to withdraw the case.

A probe committee was formed and three students were summoned to testify but none of them showed up, the DU authorities said.  

Rokeya Hall Provost Zinat Huda is heading the three-member panel.  

Three students, Abu Raihan Khan, Umme Habiba Benazir and Ashiq were supposed to testify at 11am Tuesday, said Abu Hossain Md Ahsan, member secretary of the committee.  
 
“They were informed by phone and served letters. But they did not come.”

Umme Habiba Benazir, president of Dhaka University Students Federation, said: “We are not witnesses. We asked them to involve us as student representatives in the committee but they did not do so.”

“So we have shunned the probe committee.”