The protesting students of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) on Tuesday continued their demonstrations for the sixth consecutive day to press home their three-point demand including immediate removal of the Vice-Chancellor.
The agitating students in an open letter to President Abdul Hamid, also the Chancellor of the university, demanded removal of the SUST Vice-Chancellor Farid Uddin Ahmed immediately as what they say ‘students don’t feel safe on the campus under the jurisdiction of the Vice-Chancellor.’
They also vowed to continue the demonstration until the ouster of the Vice-Chancellor.
On the other hand, a heavy contingent of helmeted police equipped with water cannons and sophisticated firearms are roaming on the campus till filing of this report on Tuesday afternoon.
The SUST authorities on Sunday night closed the university for an indefinite period following the clash on the campus with the cops, asking the students to vacate their dormitories by Monday noon.
But most of the students have not left the campus yet.
And they are now staying on the campus and have locked the hall gates from inside.
Besides, they also demanded the head of state to order the withdrawal of the additional police force from the campus.
Apart from these, they also declared Farid Uddin Ahmed ‘persona no grata’ on the university campus.
The students strongly protested the authorities’ decision and continued staging demonstrations and protest rallies on the campus till filing of this report on Tuesday evening.
Read More: SUST Job Circular 2021 – www.sust.edu
Meanwhile, Shafiul Alam Chowdhury Nadel, Organising Secretary, Awami League along with the party’s Sylhet city unit General Secretary Jakir Hossain, district unit Vice-President Ashfaq Ahmed and many other leaders went to the campus at about 12 noon on Tuesday and requested students to return home.
Condemning the attack on students on the campus, they also expressed solidarity with the protesting students.
Besides, on Monday night, Foreign Minister A K Abdul Momen met representatives of the protesting students and assured them of fulfilling their demands.
On the other hand, police on Monday night filed a case, accusing over 300 ‘unnamed’ students, in connection with Sunday’s clash that left at least 50 students injured critically.
Meanwhile, the SUST authorities formed an eight-member probe body in connection with the ongoing protest and to take stock of the overall situation in the university.
Students of Begum Sirajunnesa Chowdhury female dormitory began protesting since Thursday to have their three-point demand including the removal of the hall Provost Jafrin Ahmed who on Sunday night resigned from her post citing health issues.
And Dr Nazia Chowdhury of the Physics department has been appointed in her place.
Like the previous day, since Tuesday morning, students from different male and female residential halls started gathering at the university’s Golchattor and its surrounding areas.
Parading different roads on the campus, the agitating students took position in front of the Vice-Chancellor Farid Uddin’s official residence and continued chanting slogans against him till filing of this report on Tuesday.
And students announced that they will be demonstrating on the campus till the Vice-Chancellor’s resignation.
Earlier on Sunday the protesting students had kept the Vice-Chancellor confined at the IICT building.
Police later clubbed the students indiscriminately to free the Vice-Chancellor.
Apart from these, the cops also fired fifty sound grenades and rubber bullets to disperse the protest on Sunday afternoon, and students reacted by throwing brick chips at them.