With the University Grants Commission (UGC) directing an indefinite closure of educational activities in all public and private universities and affiliated colleges amid the ongoing quota reform movement, an emergency Syndicate meeting was convened at Jahangirnagar University (JU) at 10am on Wednesday to implement this directive.
The UGC also directed students to vacate the halls.
This directive was communicated to the vice-chancellors of universities through a letter signed by UGC Secretary Dr Ferdous Zaman on Tuesday night.
According to sources, this syndicate meeting was called to declare the closure of the university and vacate the halls.
RU students told to vacate halls by Wednesday noonMeanwhile, hearing this news, protesting students gathered before the registrar's building, joined by several teachers.
One student, Emon, said the government is "conspiring to shut down our movement. The university administration is acting at the behest of the government."
“Our university is an autonomous institution. According to the law, the university is not obliged to follow the UGC's decisions. From recruitment to other areas, the UGC's instructions are not followed. If any decision is made to vacate the halls, we will not accept it," he added.
Pharmacy Department's Prof Mafruhi Sattar, who was with the students, said: "According to the university act, no Syndicate decision can be changed before six months. Yesterday, the syndicate decided to keep the university open. It cannot be closed today in any way."
JU Teachers Association Vice President Sohel Ahmed said: "We told the vice-chancellor on behalf of the association to keep the university open. The crisis in the university cannot be resolved by closing it in any way."
