Students Against Terrorism platform has demanded the resignation of Dhaka University's vice-chancellor and proctor, holding them responsible for failing to ensure student safety and for their handling of the Shammo murder case.
They organized a protest on Wednesday at 2pm in front of the proctor's office at the Faculty of Arts building of Dhaka University.
Abid-ur Rahman Mishu, Literature and Publication secretary of Dhaka University's Suryasen Hall Chhatra Dal, described the administration's failures, saying: "Despite the investigation committee being required to submit their report within three days of Shammo's murder, we haven't seen any progress even after eight days."
He added: "The university administration has failed to ensure the safety of students' lives and property. The proctor and vice-Chancellor must resign, taking responsibility for this failure."
Dr Mohammad Siddiqur Rahman Khan, head of the investigation committee, explained that although they were supposed to publish their report within three working days, they haven't been able to complete their work yet. They have conducted three meetings so far, including on-site investigations.
"We hope to submit the investigation report to the university administration by tomorrow," he said.
Nuzia Hasin Rasha, president of the Dhaka University branch of Revolutionary Students Alliance, accused the administration of taking shortsighted and populist measures in the name of ensuring security for students and people on campus.
She said: "After these failures, the vice-chancellor and proctor of Dhaka University have lost the minimum moral right to remain in their positions. They must immediately resign, acknowledging responsibility for all failures."
Students complain that even after Shammo's murder, multiple security incidents have occurred at the university. Drug addicts and vagrants regularly enter the campus, leaving students feeling insecure even in important areas like TSC and the Arts Faculty building.
Describing the university administration's negligence towards students, Md Mahdizzaman Joty, a student from F Rahman Hall's 2022-23 session, said: "Even after we informed the university administration about Shammo's murder, they didn't come to the scene. Later, when students gathered in front of the vice-chancellor's residence, he came out, but the proctor still didn't appear. They should have secured the crime scene, but they didn't do that either."
He added: "An administration that fails to ensure the safety of students' lives and property has no logical justification to remain in power. The university's Proctor and Vice-Chancellor must resign, taking responsibility for their nine months of failure."
Additionally, the Dhaka University administration has confirmed the arrest of three more individuals in connection with Shammo's murder.
Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Niaz Ahmed Khan said in the press release that the university administration is working to ensure a proper investigation of the incident. "We want to stay above politics of all kinds to bring the criminals to justice quickly."
Shammo, a student from Dhaka University's Education and Research Department, was seriously injured in Suhrawardy Udyan.
He was rescued and taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital in a bloody condition, where doctors declared him dead.
The victim's brother, SAM Shariful Alam, filed a case at Shahbagh Police Station regarding this incident.
