Jahangirnagar University students and teachers continued their agitation for removal of vice-chancellor Professor Farzana Islam on Tuesday amid entry tests of thousands of admission seekers. More than 70 agitators under the banner of ‘Jahangirnagar against Corruption’ gathered at the Shaheed Minar premises and waved black flag to the vice-chancellor at about 1:00pm for the third consecutive day.
Students started protests on August 23 demanding judicial inquiry into the reported involvement of the vice-chancellor and her family in corruption and mismanagement of Tk 1445 crore development projects of the university. Teachers and students demanded resignation of the VC as an initiative to launch a judicial inquiry faltered on September 18.
It has been alleged that the VC managed the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) JU unit leaders with Tk 1.6 crore from the development fund. Three of the BCL activists have already confessed that matter to media. Addressing the rally at the Shaheed Minar premises, professor of Philosophy department Raihan Rhyne said, ‘We demanded a judicial probe into allegations of corruption. But she has no good intentions regarding this matter. She must resign by October 1.’
A protester, Mahathir Mohammad, president of Socialist Student Front, said, ‘We have cleared our stance. We are not against the person Prof Farzana Islam. We are against corrupted VC Farzana who has already slandered us. We stand against her to free the university from the disgrace. She should resign before our ultimatum is over.’
Agitators declared ‘black flag’ demonstrations on the campus every day during the admission test.Among others, teachers Tarek Reza, Jamal Uddin Runu, Khabir Uddin, Kamrul Ahsan, Anwarullah Bhuiyan, Shamima Sultana and leaders and activists of different cultural and political organizations were present at the protest.