A faction of Chittagong University Bangladesh Chhatra League enforced a nonstop blockade yesterday morning to press home its six-point demand which includes the withdrawal of false cases against its leaders in connection with Tapos murder.
However, the blockade was observed till afternoon as the shuttle train based faction, also known as Varsity Express (VX), decided to relax its movement to mark the founding anniversary of Chhatra League.
The faction also announced a two-day break to the blockade to observe Eid-e-Miladunnabi and Awami League’s “Victory Day of Democracy” programme tomorrow.
In the morning, Chhatra League men blockaded the university’s shuttle train tracks at Sholoshahar Railway Station from 8am to 2pm for which the train service remained suspended for last eight hours – till 4pm, campus surces said.
Sholoshahar Railway Station Master Md Shahbuddin said the blockaders had cut 12 hosepipes of two CU shuttle trains in the morning after which the railway authorities suspended all CU-bound shuttle trains and sent them for repairs.
CU Chhatra League sources said after 2pm, the demonstrating Varsity Express, backed by Chittagong city’ Awami League President ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury, postponed their blockade programme till Tuesday.
Confirming the matter, VX leader and former CU BCL’s Organising Secretary SM Ariful Islam said the blockade programme will start again on January 6.
Meanwhile, the blockade hampered regular activities at the university as only few department took classes with low presence of students.
CU Examination Controller (acting) Professor Dr Mohiuddin said the scheduled examinations of all departments have to be taken on time however a few departments might fail to take their examinations.
Professor Dr Abdur Rahman, chairman of Accounting and Information department, said 3rd year midterm examinations of the department was postponed as 13 students could not appear due to the blockade.
However, CU Proctor Siraj Ud Dowla claimed the university’s academic and disciplinary situation was normal.
Earlier, the faction called the nonstop blockade programme on Friday night to press home its six-point of demand which includes the withdrawal of false cases against its leaders in connection with Tapos murder, removal of Hathazari police station’s Officer-in-Charge Md Ismail Hossen and immediate arrest of killers of Tapos.
Tapos Sarkar, a first year student of Sangskrit department, was killed on December 14 during a clash between two Chhatra League factions in the campus.