Dhaka University Vice-chancellor AAMA Arefin Siddique made it clear yesterday that the authorities will not change their decision on the admission system in the face of the ongoing protests against it.
“Everyone has the right to stage protest but protests will not influence our decision regarding the admission test,” he said, replying to a reporters’ query as five admission seekers were released on bond hours after they were held while staging protests against the university decision on the campus.
Arefin said: “We have no objection if the admission seekers stage peaceful programmes. But they will not be allowed to protest inside the university campus area if their protest hampers the academic procedures of the university,”.
“The decision was taken keeping in mind the interest of the students and the country as well. There is no scope to raise questions against the decision as the authority is free to take any decision at any time,” the vice chancellor said.
On October 13, the university decided that students will not be allowed taking admission chance twice, such as only those who pass HSC next year will be able to take DU admission tests under the 2015-16 academic sessions and those who have passed before cannot.
This triggered anger among students who have failed to qualify for getting admitted into the university this year, prompting hundreds of them to stage demonstrations on the university campus.
They demonstrated at the TSC area around 9:30am, when police arrested five of them and forced others to leave. Later, they however took position at Aparejeyo Bangla more inside the campus.
Speaking at the rally, protesters announced they would submit a memorandum to the vice-chancellor on 21 October and hold a mass rally on October 25 on the premises of the Central Shaheed Minar.
They added that they would hold their rally on October 25 in presence of students, teachers and guardians if the authority does not its change on the admission test by October 24.
