Police yesterday rescued Jahangirnagar University VC Prof Anwar Hossain after three days of confinement in his residence by a section of students in protest against a bomb attack on JU Teachers’ Association president’s house.
On orders from the higher authorities, Savar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Kamrul Hasan Mollah and Savar circle ASP Russel Sheikh went to the VC’s residence around 2pm and talked to the agitating teachers before rescuing the VC and his wife. They were seen leaving towards the capital.
“The VC has extended his leave for five days,” JU Registrar Abu Bakr Siddique told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday, adding that Pro-VC Prof Afsar Ahmed would act as the VC.
On Wednesday night, Dhaka district Deputy Commissioner Md Yusuf Harun and SP Md Habibur Rahman went to the VC’s residence to escort him out of the campus after agitating students had vandalised the residence protesting explosions of two crude bombs at JUTA President Prof Ajit Kumar Mazumder’s house that night.
But the VC refused to leave campus at night, saying he would go on Thursday.
The UNO said: “We have taken the JU VC away from the university following directives of the higher authorities.”
Agitating teachers and students withdrew the blockade around the VC’s residence but said they would not withdraw the movement until the declaration of the VC panel polls.
Prof Kamrul Ahsan, member secretary of the JU Teachers-Students and Officers-Employees United Forum, said: “We hope Prof Anwar would not come back to campus as the VC in future.
“We demand execution of the chancellor’s directives and our movement will continue until the declaration of the VC panel election.”
JUTA and JU statistics department separately staged protest demonstrations yesterday against the bomb attack on the JUTA president’s house. JUTA demanded that the authorities take immediate steps to punish those responsible for the attack.