SUST students ramp up demo for VC’s removal

Agitating students of the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) padlocked all administrative offices on the campus and continued their protests on Monday, seeking the removal of Vice-Chancellor Farid Uddin Ahmed.

Defying the hall vacating order by the authorities, hundreds of students walked in an agitation rally on Monday afternoon and laid siege to the VC's residence. They also initiated a mass signature campaign to press home their demand. Pupils of different universities across Bangladesh have expressed solidarity with the protestors.

A large number of police were deployed on the campus to avoid any untoward incident stemming from cop attacks on protesting students on Sunday.   

The student protests on the campus began Thursday last week as female students of Begum Sirajunnesa Chowdhury Hall protested "abuses by the hall provost". Other SUST students joined the demonstration after alleged Chhatra League attacks on the female students.

The situation took a new turn Sunday as police charged batons, lobbed tear shell canisters, fired rubber bullets and used stan grenades to disperse the students who blocked the VC in his office.

Subsequently, the university authorities suspended all classes and examinations indefinitely and ordered the students to leave the campus by Monday noon. Rejecting the order, the protestors launched the anti-VC movement on Sunday night.

"We have locked the administrative buildings. This movement is in protest of the attacks on us," said an agitating female student.

"We had been staging the demo peacefully. But cops Sunday assaulted us without any warning while the VC was present. Therefore, we want him to step down," said another protesting student while explaining their grounds.

However, the university authorities defended police action by saying the protestors not only blocked the VC but also threw brick chips on police leading to a retaliation.

The police action also drew criticism on social media. The university authorities said they have launched an inquiry into the incident.