Resident students of Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology evacuated dormitories yesterday morning complying with an order of the university authorities.
The authorities on Thursday night closed the institution sine die to avoid any untoward situation in the wake of a clash between the police and Chhatra Shibir activists.
Students were ordered to evacuate the halls of residence by 10am yesterday.
In compliance with the order, resident students packed their bags, left the campus and set off for home by boarding buses. Many guardians also came to the campus to take their children back home.
Students said they faced difficulties to evacuate halls on such a short notice, with students from distant places bearing the brunt of the decision taken by the university authorities.
Officer-in-Charge of Motihar police station Alamgir Hossain said the situation on the campus was normal since Thursday night, and additional police were deployed at the main entrance as well as outside Shaheed Lt Selim Hall.
Thirty-one Shibir activists sued
OC Alamgir said Sub-Inspector of Motihar police station Masud filed a case on Thursday against 31 Shibir activists on charges of assaulting police and obstructing public activities.
Ten of the accused in the case had already been arrested, he said.
’Eid vacation just got longer’
Around 9pm on Thursday, Professor Dr Md Rafiqul Alam Beg, vice-chancellor of RUET, announced that the university would remain closed till October 13.
“Although the decision to shut the university was taken to avert any untoward situation, I will not say we are closing. We just added a few more days to the Eid vacations,” he said, adding that classes will begin after the Eid.
On Thursday noon, Shibir activists obstructed a seminar arranged by the Department of Civil Engineering. Police arrested two Shibir men from there and detained six more from dorm.
Chhatra League activists beat some Shibir men up, leaving them injured.
Shibir activists, on the other hand, retaliated by exploding crude bombs at Shaheed Lt Selim Hall. 10 of them were also injured when police fired rubber bullets to bring the situation under control.
Chhatra League activists carrying locally-made weapons also marched on the campus after the incident.