The students of Rajshahi University will announce further course of action today as their seven-day ultimatum to the authorities of the university ended yesterday.
On January 20, the students gave seven days’ ultimatum, demanding that the authorities cancel the move to increase all kinds of fees.
Recently, the university authorities in a meeting have taken a decision to increase all kind of fees which is two to five times more than the earlier rates.
The newly fixed fees have been affected from January this year and the authorities have already issued notices to all departments in this regard.
Campus sources said the extra fees were necessary to pay salaries of additional recruited teachers. The University Grants Commission has already told RU authorities that it would not pay for the additional teachers.
RU administration sources said 368 teachers had been appointed against 204 posts from February 26, 2009 to February 26, 2013 during the tenure of former vice-chancellor Prof Abdus Sobhan.
According to the university sources, the fees for withdrawal of provisional certificate on normal basis have been increased to Tk300 from Tk100 while the fees for emergency basis increased to Tk1,000 from Tk200.
Withdrawal of the main certificate fees raised Tk500 from Tk200 and mark sheet fees on emergency basis Tk600 from existing Tk225, duplicate mark sheet Tk1000 from Tk300 and for subsidiary mark sheet fees raised Tk500 from Tk150.
The fees for withdrawal of duplicate admit card was raised Tk200 from Tk50 and correction of name spelling on any certificate and mark sheet Tk500 from Tk250.
The authority has increased academic examinations fees for three-hour honours exam (theory) Tk100 from Tk50, for more than three-hour long exam the fees Tk125 from Tk60 and also for masters’ courses Tk500 from Tk200.
The administration also increased examinations fees for MS, MD, MPhil programme to Tk5,000 from Tk2,000 for each course and Diploma Masters Degree examinations fees Tk5,000 from Tk1,500.
The students have been observing agitations from January 16 on the issue.
The students under the banner of Progressive Students’ Alliance also submitted memorandum to Vice-Chancellor Prof Mizanuddin on January 20 and gave seven days to meet their demands.
A student said: “As the university authorities did not pay heed to our demands, we will go on tougher movement from Tuesday.”
University’s Kendriya Sangskritik Jote also expressed their solidarity with the student’s demands and movement.
However, VC Mizanuddin could not be reached through mobile phone despite several attempts.
