Sust protests: Students not going to Dhaka to meet Dipu Moni
Until Friday, 12 students were hospitalized after they fell sick during the hunger strike
A Sust protester speaks to Education Minister Dipu Moni on Friday, January 21, 2022 Dhaka Tribune
Serajul Islam, Sylhet
Publish : 21 Jan 2022, 04:34 PMUpdate : 22 Jan 2022, 11:29 AM
The agitating students of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (Sust) will not travel to Dhaka to hold a meeting with Education Minister Dipu Moni, which was meant to find a solution to the ongoing stalemate at the institution.
Yesterday afternoon, the minister had spoken over the phone with the students who are on a hunger strike demanding the immediate removal of Sust Vice-Chancellor (VC) Prof Farid Uddin Ahmed.
Later, it was decided that a delegation of the students will be starting for Dhaka in the evening for a meeting with Dipu Moni on Saturday.
However, protesters’ spokesman Shahriar Abedin, at an emergency press conference at 7:30pm, declared that they were not going to Dhaka and decided to hold a virtual meeting.
“We urge Dipu Moni to come to Sust in person and discuss the issues. Otherwise, a virtual meeting can be arranged with her,” he said.
The students said they would continue the protest even if the campus is declared closed, in light of the government’s decision to shut down all educational institutions for the next two weeks.
Until yesterday, at least 12 students were hospitalized after they fell sick during the hunger strike.
Some 24 students embarked on a fast-unto-death on Wednesday afternoon, demanding the removal of the VC.
Several attempts have been made by teachers and guardians to talk to the students, but the students have refused to take part in any discussions or give responses until the VC is removed.
Sabbir Ahmed, one of the protesters, said most of the students have been suffering from dehydration, muscle cramps, and spasms due to a lack of potassium and sodium in their bodies.
The students have been surviving on saline alone for the last three days.
Despite the extreme cold, the agitated students are still outside the VC's building
Around midnight on Friday, the protesting students also held a torch procession and burned the effigy of the VC.
The procession started from the VC's residence, where they are protesting, and went around campus.
Students have been demonstrating since January 13, demanding the resignation of Begum Sirajunnesa Chowdhury Hall Provost Zafrin Ahmed.
Zafrin, who had been accused of misbehaving with some students, resigned from her post, citing health issues in the face of protests.
Her removal as provost of the residential hall for female students was one of the principal demands of the students protesting on the campus.
However, students continued their protests after police charged batons and fired rubber bullets at them on January 16.
On January 18, they wrote an open letter to President Abdul Hamid, demanding the immediate removal of the VC Farid Uddin Ahmed.
Sust protests: Students not going to Dhaka to meet Dipu Moni
Until Friday, 12 students were hospitalized after they fell sick during the hunger strike
The agitating students of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (Sust) will not travel to Dhaka to hold a meeting with Education Minister Dipu Moni, which was meant to find a solution to the ongoing stalemate at the institution.
Yesterday afternoon, the minister had spoken over the phone with the students who are on a hunger strike demanding the immediate removal of Sust Vice-Chancellor (VC) Prof Farid Uddin Ahmed.
Later, it was decided that a delegation of the students will be starting for Dhaka in the evening for a meeting with Dipu Moni on Saturday.
However, protesters’ spokesman Shahriar Abedin, at an emergency press conference at 7:30pm, declared that they were not going to Dhaka and decided to hold a virtual meeting.
“We urge Dipu Moni to come to Sust in person and discuss the issues. Otherwise, a virtual meeting can be arranged with her,” he said.
The students said they would continue the protest even if the campus is declared closed, in light of the government’s decision to shut down all educational institutions for the next two weeks.
Until yesterday, at least 12 students were hospitalized after they fell sick during the hunger strike.
Some 24 students embarked on a fast-unto-death on Wednesday afternoon, demanding the removal of the VC.
Several attempts have been made by teachers and guardians to talk to the students, but the students have refused to take part in any discussions or give responses until the VC is removed.
Sabbir Ahmed, one of the protesters, said most of the students have been suffering from dehydration, muscle cramps, and spasms due to a lack of potassium and sodium in their bodies.
The students have been surviving on saline alone for the last three days.
Despite the extreme cold, the agitated students are still outside the VC's building
Around midnight on Friday, the protesting students also held a torch procession and burned the effigy of the VC.
The procession started from the VC's residence, where they are protesting, and went around campus.
Students have been demonstrating since January 13, demanding the resignation of Begum Sirajunnesa Chowdhury Hall Provost Zafrin Ahmed.
Zafrin, who had been accused of misbehaving with some students, resigned from her post, citing health issues in the face of protests.
Her removal as provost of the residential hall for female students was one of the principal demands of the students protesting on the campus.
However, students continued their protests after police charged batons and fired rubber bullets at them on January 16.
On January 18, they wrote an open letter to President Abdul Hamid, demanding the immediate removal of the VC Farid Uddin Ahmed.
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