JU students burn SUST VC’s effigy for derogatory remarks
Farid Uddin Ahmed started drawing flak after allegedly using law enforcement agencies to quell student movement on campus
Students of Jahangirnagar University (JU) have burnt the effigy of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) Vice-Chancellor for his "offensive" remarks on girl students of JU.
They also staged a human chain programme before burning the effigy on the road adjacent to JU Central Shaheed Minar on Wednesday (19 January).
SUST VC Farid Uddin Ahmed was recently heard making derogatory comments on JU students in a recently leaked audio clip saying, "No one wants to marry JU girls easily".
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Fabliha Noshin Sithi, a student of the Institute of Information Technology at JU said, "Women are safe in our university. The culture of the university is giving them this security."
She demanded bringing the SUST VC under the law and gave him 24 hours ultimatum for apologising.
Zoology Department student Zillur Rahman declared SUST VC "unwanted" at the JU campus from the human chain programme.
"Farid Uddin is an incompetent vice-chancellor. Women are humiliated by his remarks. He should be removed from the post of VC immediately and the government should take legal action against him," he said.
Zillur also warned of more stringent movement from JU students if their demands are not met.
Samia Hasan, a student of the Government and Politics Department, said such a person is not qualified to be the VC of any university.
SUST VC Farid Uddin Ahmed started drawing flak after allegedly using law enforcement agencies to quell student movement on campus.
The student protests on the SUST campus began 13 January 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 on 16 January as police charged batons, lobbed tear shell canisters, fired rubber bullets and used stun 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 (17 January) noon. Rejecting the order, the protestors launched the anti-VC movement.
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 retaliation.
The police action also drew criticism on social media. The university authorities said they have launched an inquiry into the incident.
