On the 11th day of the continuous demonstration by the students of Jagannath University (JnU), a two-day long mass signature campaign began yesterday.
Demanding recovery of the grabbed halls, the students also blocked roads of surrounding areas of the campus as part of their continuous demonstration yesterday.
The three-hour long road blockade in English Road, Rayshaheb Bazar and Banglabazar areas kept Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid and lawmaker Sahara Khatun waiting for 20 minutes. The two Awami League lawmakers went to the area to attend two separate programmes.
Nurul Islam Nahid asked that students to demonstrate peacefully, and assured the students of taking steps to retrieve the grabbed dormitories soon.
Earlier in the morning, students brought out a procession around 9am. After parading different main roads of the campus, they created blockade at Rayshaheb Bazar intersection.
The two-day long mass signatures campaign, which would be submitted to the government and authorities concerned to press home their demand, began on the campus yesterday.
At the end of yesterday’s demonstration, Shariful Islam, president of Bangladesh Chhatra League of JnU unit, said they would resume their demonstration at 9am today and would continue till their demands were met.
Meanwhile, JnU Teachers’ Association held an emergency meeting yesterday to discuss the ongoing situation.
Following the meeting, Prof Sarkar Ali Akkas, president of the association, said they would boycott all classes today and would hold a human chain on the campus today. He also said they would submit a memorandum to the home ministry in this regard. On the other hand, Sheikh Rezaul Karim, deputy registrar and president of JnU officers’ association, said they would hold a human chain on the campus today, protesting Sunday’s police attack on students and staffs.
