Bangladesh News

Students of Dhaka University (DU) yesterday called for a one-hour class boycott at all the educational institutions across the country on January 23 as part of their ongoing movement to get the detained four DU teachers and a student released.

The DU students under the banner of Students Against Repression made the announcement at a press conference at Modhu’s Canteen on the university campus.

They also urged the students and teachers of all the educational institutions to wear black ribbons on January 21 and form human chains at their respective institutions on January 22.

Meanwhile, in a letter submitted through the Rajshahi deputy commissioner, Rajshahi University (RU) students yesterday urged the education adviser to take necessary steps for the release of the 10 RU students and an employee convicted in a case for torching a DGFI vehicle in August last year. They also demanded withdrawal of the case filed by the RU authorities against the students for being involved in violent incidents on the campus.

The DU students set a fresh deadline of Janurary 23 for the release of detained DU teachers and a student as their five-day ultimatum ended yesterday.

They will also continue boycotting classes for two hours every day until their demands are met.

The students will stage a sit-in in front of the vice chancellor’s office on the campus on Monday and will express their solidarity with the DU teachers who will also stage another sit-in at Aparajeyo Bangla.

They said the government is making the situation on the DU campus complicated and if any unwanted incident occurs on the campus, the government will be responsible for it.

Dhaka University Teachers’ Association (Duta) at an emergency meeting last week also announced holding programmes to get their detained colleagues and the student released.

They decided to hoist black flag atop Arts Building of the university and wear black ribbons until their demands are met.

The Duta had set January 23 as fresh deadline for the release of the detainees.

The teachers also decided to observe a three-hour token hunger strike at Aparajeyo Bangla from 10:00am to 1:00pm on January 21 and not to hold any admission test at the university until their detained colleagues and the student are released.

The DU students will hold a cultural programme in front of the central library today to press home their demand.