‘Tensions simmer’ as police enter Titumir College amid ‘shutdown’ protest

“We have deployed sufficient personnel,” a local police official says. “They will not be allowed to take to the streets under any circumstances.”

Students boycotting classes and examinations at Government Titumir College in Dhaka’s Mohakhali have protested against a heavy police presence on the campus.

In the face of the protests on Tuesday, the police personnel eventually exited the campus and took up positions in front of its main gate.

The police say that students will not be allowed to take to the streets. The students say they are conducting a campus ‘shutdown’ programme and do not plan on blocking roads or rail lines again.

Hundreds of students occupied roads and rail lines in Mohakhali from 11am to 4pm on Monday to demand the conversion of Titumir College into a university. After a two-hour break, the protesters took up positions in front of the campus around 6pm. At 9pm, they announced a new programme before lifting their blockade of the Mohakhali-Gulshan connecting road.

Large numbers of police personnel have been deployed in Amtoli and nearby roads since Tuesday morning in response to the situation. Army personnel could also be seen from in front of the Rawa Club to the Mohakhali Rail Gate area. Police are also positioned along the rail line.

Raju Ahmed, a second-year student from the college’s Department of Bangla, said: “Large numbers of police personnel were deployed on campus in the morning. But in the face of student anger, they exited the campus around 12:45pm and took up positions in front of the gate.”

“We have boycotted classes and examinations and are conducting a ‘shutdown’ programme. We don’t have plans to block roads and rail lines anywere today.”

Rasel Sarwar, chief of Banani Police Station, said that police personnel were deployed due to the public suffering caused by Monday’s protest.

“We have deployed sufficient personnel,” he said. “They will not be allowed to take to the streets under any circumstances.”

“Police will take action if they attempt to block the road.”

Several attempts were made to call Titumir College Principal Shipra Rani Mondal for comment on the situation, but she did not answer her mobile phone. A visit to her office revealed that she was not making any statements to the media.

Aminul Islam, a student from the Department of Mathematics, said at a press conference on Monday: “Classes and exams will not be allowed on the Titumir College campus from Tuesday. We are announcing an indefinite ‘shutdown’ from today. No classes or exams will be held.”