Students from the Master's program of Rajshahi University's (RU’s) department of psychology on Saturday demanded the repeal and re-examination of one course.
The protesting students took position in front of RU’s administration building, and demanded a re-test as one their fellow students could not attend the exams because of the death of her father.
After receiving assurances from a student adviser regarding the matter, the demonstrating students called off their sit-in program around 9pm.
Subsequently, the students submitted a memorandum to the university authorities on the same night.
According to RU psychology department sources, Master's student Kaniz Fatema's father died two days prior to the examination, and she could not sit for the test as she was in mourning.
"On March 16, our final examination for course no 502 was scheduled to be held. But on the evening of March 14, our classmate's father died and her mother had a stroke. Addressing the situation, all the students requested the exam committee to consider the humanitarian side of the situation and postpone the test. However, 12 out of the total 64 students of the department sat for the exam, and the test was taken by the exam committee. As 52 students out of the total 64 could not sit for the test, we want the university administration to acknowledge the situation and schedule a re-test of this course," the memorandum read.
When contacted, RU's department of psychology President Md Enamul Haque said: "Our exam committee chairman is now on vacation in Dhaka. The students went to the university administration asking for a re-test. I have heard that they have received assurances from the administration on a re-test. If the exam committee obliges, we have no problem with arranging a re-examination for the students."
Student Adviser Prof Laila Arjuman Banu said: "The students came to me with a memorandum. I have told them to make some corrections to the memorendum and submit it again.
"Most of the students of the department could not sit for the exam. I will talk about the whole situation with the higher officials of the university administration as soon as possible, to find a proper solution to the situation."