The leaders of leftist student organisation foiled the development project of Jahangirnagar University (JU) after they failed to collect extortion from the authorities. It was alleged that they frequently tried to impede the development project of JU. Declaring the development project ‘unplanned’, a group of leftist students of Jahangirnagar University ultimately stooped the development work on Monday. Some unanimous teachers and students’ platform has been protesting the work from the beginning.
On July 22, a construction company started building two female residences at Tarjan Chattar. They protested the work and told JU VC to make a new plan involving all of the stake-holders of this university.
The protesters claimed that the VC assured us that university administration will revise the plan and no trees will be cut down until the plan is revised. Despite the assurance JU administration is cutting down trees. A demonstration procession started from Bishwa Kabi Rabindrantah Tagore Hall. Marching different places the procession ended in front of the resident of Vice-chancellor’s resident.
After the protest procession, Ashikur Rahman, President of Jahangirnagar Cultural Alliance said, ‘Through the newspaper we have come to know that university authorities gave Tk two crore to a political student organization. Government gave the money to work properly but JU authorities are looting all the through unplanned work in the name of development work.’
Meanwhile, 'Teachers Students Unity Platform' of Jahangirnagar University (JU) announced a series protest programme from Sunday.
Shahidul Islam, Secretary of Jahangirnagar Cultural Alliance, announced the protest programme at a press conference at the conference room of Teacher-Student Centre (TSC) on Saturday.
The protest programmes are scheduled as the protest rally will be held at 12.30 PM on Sunday, mass signature taken and a public talk on Monday and torch possession on Tuesday evening.
They also placed a three-point demand at the press conference that is- to relocate the place of dormitories installment to the north side of the Shaheed Rafiq-Jabbar hall from Santiniketan, Judicial investigation of the corruption of the mega project and the plan should be revised to fulfill all the requirements of a master plan, discussing with all stakeholders.
Professor Anwarullah Bhuiyan of Philosophy department said, ‘We are not against the development of the university but we want the development under a proper plan where the conservation of the biodiversity of the campus will be considered. The master plan has no consideration to conserve the biodiversity of the campus.’
Professor Shamima Sultana, Professor Tarek Reza of Bangla department, Sudipta De, general secretary of Student Front of JU unit, President of Jahangirnagar Cultural Alliance Ashikur Rahman. Convenor of Sadharon Chatra Adhikar Sangrakkhan Parisad Shakiluzzaman, Joint convenor Joynal Abedin Shishir spoke, among others.