Students of Government College of Applied Human Science, formerly known as Home Economics College, staged a sit-in for a second consecutive day on Friday, blocking the road in front of the institution in Dhaka's Azimpur and demanding the principal's resignation and an investigation into alleged police assaults on students.
They issued a 72-hour ultimatum for the fulfilment of their two-point demands, warning that they would continue their movement until the demands were met.
The protest began at 8am on Friday, with students chanting slogans including “Home Economics has risen”, “Why were police on campus? We want answers” and “Why was my sister injured? We want answers”.
Their first demand is the resignation of Principal Professor Meherunnessa. They said classes and examinations would remain suspended and the principal would not be allowed on campus until she submits a written resignation.
Their second demand is an investigation into the police operation at the college and its residential halls late on Wednesday night, including allegations of baton charges and assaults on students. They also demanded an update on the investigation within 72 hours and punishment for those responsible.
The protest began on Thursday morning, when students gathered outside the principal's office at around 10:30am and later locked her inside by putting a padlock on the office door.
Police arrived at around 11:30pm and rescued the principal after nearly 13 hours. However, more than 100 students continued their demonstration outside the college until around 2:30am.
Students alleged that police dragged female students down the stairs by their hair, beat them and charged at them with batons during the operation.
Several students were injured, according to the protesters, with three to four receiving hospital treatment. One student, who was allegedly trampled by police, is being treated at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
The protesters also alleged that police entered the residential halls and assaulted students. They further claimed that officers took away several students' mobile phones and identity cards.
The students said the movement was not politically motivated but stemmed from their opposition to the principal's alleged arbitrary decisions and misconduct towards students. They said several of their classmates had been injured, with some still receiving treatment at hospitals.
Although the students had resume their sit-in at 8am on Friday, they said they would allow scheduled recruitment examinations to take place. However, they demanded that the principal be barred from entering the campus during the examinations.
What triggered the protest
The dispute began over a farewell program held at the college auditorium before the Puja holidays.
According to students and college administration sources, postgraduate final-year students from five departments across three residential halls were initially allowed to hold the program until 10pm. Following their request, the deadline was extended to midnight, but the event continued until 5am.
Principal Meherunnessa subsequently decided to cancel the residential hall seats of two students who coordinated the program, citing the use of the auditorium beyond the permitted time.
Students alleged that when the two approached her to apologise, she demanded Tk12,600 to cover the auditorium's air-conditioning and electricity costs for the night as a condition for reinstating their residential seats.
The principal, however, denied the allegations.
Speaking to journalists on Thursday evening, Meherunnessa said the students had been permitted to hold the programme until midnight but continued until 5am.
She said she initially cancelled the residential seats of the two students over the violation but later softened her position after they apologised. However, she decided to recover the cost of electricity wastage to maintain discipline.
“What the students are saying is the total opposite of what happened. I allowed them to hold a programme until midnight. They continued until 5am. I became a little angry and cancelled the residential seats of the two students,” she said.
Responding to the demand for her resignation, she said: “They are asking me to sign my resignation on a blank sheet of paper. Why should I resign to them?”
Lalbagh police station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Jamil Hossain said students were staging a sit-in demanding the principal's resignation.
“The situation is calm. Police are present at the scene,” he said.