Left-leaning student bodies of Dhaka University (DU) demonstrated on campus on Tuesday demanding reopening of residential halls, vaccination of students and staff and announcement of a roadmap on reopening of the university.
They held a rally at the base of Anti Terrorism Raju Memorial Sculpture in front of TSC under the banner “Progressive Students' Alliance.”
They have threatened to intensify their protest movement unless their demands are met.
When asked by UNB about justification of demanding the reopening of halls when most of the projections say Covid-19 situation in the country might worsen by the end of June or beginning of July, Meghmallar Bose, Assistant General Secretary of the DU unit of Bangladesh Students Union said: "The pandemic is a real problem. But the economic and psychological crises that general students are going through are no less significant."
"We also demand that vaccines are given to students as early as possible to mitigate the risk of Covid spread," he said.
When asked about considering online exams as an alternative, he replied, " Since the government hasn't even been able to improve the medical infrastructures enough to provide ICUs for Covid-19 patients, it is laughable if someone thinks they can improve internet infrastructure all of a sudden to make sure that students from disadvantaged economic backgrounds and living in remote areas will be able to access online classes on a regular basis."
Besides, Dhaka University (DU) teachers and students on Sunday demanded reopening residential halls, resuming classes and taking exams immediately maintaining health guidelines.
Terming the ongoing closure of educational institutions 'illogical', around 100 students and teachers under the banner of "hall and educational institutions open movement" stagged a human chain at the base of Anti Terrorism Raju Memorial Sculpture on the campus.
Addressing the rally, Md Asif Nazrul, professor and chairman of Law department, said: "If garments, shopping malls and vehicles can operate following health guidelines, why will the educational institutions remain closed? All educational institutions must be reopened by maintaining health protocols."
"Affluent persons' children have sufficient means to learn from home but most students can't even manage a digital device or proper network to continue academic activities," he said.
