Bangladesh News

Academic activities at Dhaka University (DU), Rajshahi University (DU) and Jagannath University resumed yesterday after an unscheduled closure of over two months following student unrest on the campuses during August 20-22.

The campuses of DU and Jagannath University witnessed a lively presence of huge number of students on the opening day, while thin attendance was found on RU campus.

The public universities and colleges were closed sine die and dormitories were vacated following a government directive after violent student unrest spread on the campuses late August.

The situation at the public universities is gradually becoming normal with the reopening of the closed campuses. Jahangirnagar University and Chittagong University reopened earlier this week.

DHAKA UNIVERSITY
The DU campus was buzzing with thousands of students yesterday as the academic activities recommenced.

The students were cheerful and were seen exchanging greetings as they met their classmates, friends and others after a long unexpected closure.

“I feel very happy being on the campus after a long time as I met my friends and attended classes. But there is uncertainty whether the situation of the campus would remain normal because four teachers and some students are still in jail,” a student of English Department said.

Classes at most of the departments of arts, social sciences, business studies and sciences faculties were held with large number of students attending.

The university authorities reopened the dormitories on October 23.

DU Vice-Chancellor (VC) Prof SMA Faiz thanked all whose cooperation contributed to the resuming of the academic activities. He also expressed hope that the loss caused by the closure can be minimised through working sincerely.

Since the university faces at least a six-month session jam over and above the prevailing two-year session jam, fresh schedules for the postponed examinations have already been announced, the VC said.

The authorities are also aware so that the students do not have to suffer from study load, he added.

Members of student wings of Awami League, BNP and left leaning political parties were also seen around the campus. However, they did not hold any rally or procession due to the state of emergency.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Chhatra Union yesterday met the VC requesting him to arrange for the release of its detained leader Manabendra Dev.

Father of detained Deen Islam, a second year student of Mass Communication and Journalism Department, also met the VC requesting him to consider the release of his son and other detained students, who were arrested on various charges of violence on the campus.

RAJSHAHI UNIVERSITY
Academic activities in Rajshahi University resumed yesterday, but most of the departments did not take classes due to thin presence of students, reports our RU correspondent.

Huge number of police, including plain-clothes men of the detective branch (DB), were deployed on the campus.

RU proctor and assistant proctors with members of the law enforcers were seen checking the students for their identity cards since morning.

Earlier, RU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Altaf Hossain in an appeal asked all teachers, students, officials, employees, guardians and dwellers of the surrounding areas to assist the RU authorities in carrying out the academic activities properly.

The university has to face a session jam of at least six months due to the unscheduled closure, RU Examination Controller Prof Dr Alwar Hossain said, adding that previously, the university had been suffering from a year’s session jam.

The Mass Communication and Journalism Department held a meeting with the university authorities on Saturday at the department chairman’s office. Reports of some students text messaging against attending classes and examinations were discussed at the meeting, sources said.

Three teachers of the department are in jail at present.

Meanwhile, some RU teachers expressed their disappointment at reopening the university without releasing their eight detained colleagues.

JAGANNATH UNIVERSITY
The Jagannath University was vibrant as large number students turned up on the opening day yesterday. Most of the classes were held on schedule.

Students entered the campus showing their ID cards amid heavy deployment of police personnel.