The agitating teachers of Jahangirnagar University continued their demonstration yesterday confining the acting VC and pro-VC at the registrar office for the fifth consecutive day, demanding implementation of chancellor’s directives in arranging VC panel polls immediately.
The authorities recently declared the teachers’ representative polls to reform the expired senate body. However, the polls were suspended in face of the demonstration that started on Wednesday. The agitating teachers were demanding the implementation of the chancellor’s directives in holding the VC panel election to end the ongoing crisis.
As part of the ongoing demonstration, the agitating teachers formed a human chain in front of the registrar office around 12pm under the banner of “Teachers-Students and Officers and Employee’s United Forum.”
Forum Secretary Prof Kamrul Ahsan said: “Honourable chancellor asked the VC to leave after holding the VC panel election immediately. We also want to be free from the ongoing unrest through the resignation of the incumbent VC.”
On November 6, President Abdul Hamid asked the VC to hold senate election immediately and select the VC panel through the senate in line with the Jahangirnagar University Act. The president also ordered the teachers to withdraw the movement unconditionally.
Protesting the alleged violation of the chancellor’s order, the teachers blocked the administrative office, confining acting VC MA Matin and pro-VC Afsar Ahmed.
During the human chain, the teachers claimed that they would not release them until the VC panel election was declared in line with the JU act.
VC Anwar Hossain has been absent in the university since Wednesday for medical treatment, and is on extended leave until Thursday, Registrar Abu Bakr Siddique said.
However, most of the classes and examinations were held peacefully yesterday as the academic activities and transportation system were kept out of purview of the strike.
The VC could not be reached over his mobile phone for his comments despite several attempts.
Meanwhile, over 150 teachers, students, officers and employees of JU, under the banner of “Jahangirnagar University Family,” brought out a procession and staged demonstration on university’s Shaheed Minar premises around 7:30pm.
Demanding a permanent solution to the ongoing crisis, the protesters called for the release of the confined individuals.
Terming the united forum’s movement “an anarchy,” JU Employee Association President Abbas Ali Talukder alleged that anti-VC teachers brought out processions on the campus with the help of Jamat-Shibir activists on Saturday night.
They also urged the government to take proper steps to eliminate the crisis.
On the other hand, the election commission for Jucsu yesterday extended the deadline for collecting nomination papers of candidates till November 26. The last date of submitting nomination papers is December 1, a press release of the commission said yesterday.