Students of Jahangirnagar University on Sunday suspended their ongoing protest movement over the attempted rape of a female student after issuing a fresh three-day ultimatum to the university administration.
Earlier in the day, agitating students locked the university’s administrative building around 10:30am and enforced a blockade that continued until 7pm.
During the protest, several senior university officials, including the vice-chancellor and pro-vice-chancellors, were unable to enter their offices, causing disruption to a number of important administrative activities.
University Registrar ABM Azizur Rahman told Dhaka Tribune in the afternoon that protesters had locked the registrar's building with a set of demands while university officials and employees were still inside.
Later in the evening, Vice-Chancellor Professor Mohammad Kamrul Ahsan visited the protest site in front of the registrar's building.
“The students’ movement is justified. We could not properly fulfil our responsibilities,” the vice-chancellor said while addressing the demonstrators.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, student representative Naziha Binte Shamsuddin demanded that the investigation report be presented before students during office hours on May 20 and that the accused be identified by the same day.
Responding to the demand, the vice-chancellor said it would not be possible to complete the investigation report within the next three days without affecting the quality of the inquiry.
“Still, I will discuss the matter with the members of the investigation committee,” he added.
Following the assurance, protesters removed the lock from the registrar building in the evening. However, they continued their lockout of the proctor’s office.
Meanwhile, students said three individuals had been detained in connection with separate incidents on campus. Around 10pm, they were handed over to police from the university’s security office.
Officials from Ashulia Police Station said one person was detained over allegations of harassing and verbally abusing a female student near the Islamnagar gate area.
Two others, including an employee of a campus shop, were detained for allegedly recording videos of protesting female students in front of the proctor’s office without consent.
Earlier, on May 13, students had given the administration a 48-hour ultimatum to arrest the accused in the attempted rape case. After the deadline passed without any arrest, they launched a series of demonstrations, including protest marches, sit-ins in front of the vice-chancellor’s office, declaring the proctor “unwanted,” and locking the proctor’s office.
