The deadlock on Barisal University (BU) campus continued for the 12th day on Sunday as students refused to end their agitation unless they get written assurance from the authorities for the removal of Prof Imamul Haque from the post of vice-chancellor.
Removal of the VC was finalized in a six-hour long negotiation meeting held on Saturday afternoon.
Hasinur Rahman, registrar of the university said upon the decision of the negotiation meeting, the university halls and canteen were opened from Saturday night.
Students and employees were notified to resume academic and administrative activities from Sunday morning and the BU transport pool also started operating.
Entrance gates found locked
“On Sunday morning, employees found all the entrance gates locked and they failed to enter campus,” the registrar added.
The agitating students were found holding a rally in front of the academic building of the university, demanding written assurance from the authorities for removing the vice chancellor, where the decisions of the negotiation meeting on Saturday were verbal.
They decided to continue their agitation programs till they receive written assurance from the concerned authorities especially about removal of the VC, they said.
Also Read- Barisal University restarts Sunday
To put an end to the 11-day deadlock situation at Barisal University campus, a six-hour long negotiation meeting was held at Barisal Circuit House with the state minister for water resources, the BCC mayor, BU officials, syndicate members, and agitated students, present on Saturday.
In the meeting it was decided that academic activities would be resumed at BU from Sunday and the vice chancellor of the university will go on leave.
It was also decided that BU residential halls would be opened from Saturday evening.
BU ensured to consider demands
In the meeting all legitimate demands of the students including solving problems like academic and residential accommodation, transport, shortage of teachers, involving students in extra-curriculum activities like observing national days also ensured to be considered and fulfill as early as possible.
However Barisal Education Board Chairman and BU syndicate member, Prof. Md. Yunus, said: “We hope that our decisions will get approval from the BU syndicate meeting scheduled to be held on April 9, at the BU liaison office in Dhaka.”
SM Imamul Haque, VC of BU, said he had not yet been formally informed about the decision of the meeting. After receiving those decisions officially, he will decide about going on leave.
Background
On March 27, BU students began demonstrations demanding the VC’s withdrawal, following an “offensive comment” he made at a program on campus, marking the 49th Independence Day.
The VC allegedly referred to the students as “razakarer bachcha (the children of Pakistan’s collaborators).”
The VC then declared the closure of BU sine die, asking students to vacate the halls by the afternoon of March 28, and he left Barisal to attend a BU syndicate meeting at its Dhaka office.
The students continued their protest programs, remaining in the halls and ignoring orders of the BU authorities.
On March 29, the VC expressed regret about his comment, which was rejected by the students and they continued their protest programs to press home their demands, including removal of the VC from his post.
