Students of Jagannath University have organized a human chain demanding a reduction in the enrolment and BJS (Bangladesh Judicial Service) examination fees set by the Bar Council, as well as the introduction of a non-cadre system in the BJS.
The protest took place on Thursday at the Shaheed Minar premises of the university, with participation from students of the Faculty of Law.
During the human chain, the students expressed that the law profession is their right and criticized the continued enforcement of fees set during the autocratic era. They stressed the need to reduce the enrolment fees for the Bar Council and BJS to establish fairness.
The students warned that if the application fees were not reduced, they might boycott the examinations. They also called for the introduction of a non-cadre system, similar to the BCS, for students who pass the BJS viva.
Nipa Rani, a law student, said: "Many of us survive on tutoring and part-time jobs. It is extremely difficult for us to afford the examination fee of Tk4,000. These excessive fees are discriminatory. The Bar Council enrolment and BJS fees should be reduced immediately to a maximum of Tk200."
Another student, Saiful Islam, said: "The Bar Council examination fee is nearly Tk4,500, while the BJS exam fee is Tk1,200, which is completely unreasonable. Many students struggle daily just to continue their education.”
He added: “If these fees are not reduced, we will launch continuous protests and may even decide to lay siege to the Bar Council."
Students of the Faculty of Law at Jagannath University were present at the human chain.