Jahangirnagar University (JU) students and teachers are protesting for the second day, demanding the resignation of their Vice Chancellor (VC) Farzana Islam.
Students demonstrated in front of the old and new administrative buildings under the banner of “Jahangirnagar Against Corruption” on Thursday morning.
The students have also blocked all the entrance gates of these buildings, barring the teachers and administrators from entering their office for work.
Bangladesh Student Union JU unit General Secretary Ariful Islam Anik said: "The protest will not affect the ongoing final examinations of different departments and institutes."
Another spokesman of the protest, Prof Raihan Raen said: "Today [Thursday], we will fax a letter to our chancellor [President Abdul Hamid], informing him of our demand.”
"We will also inform him about the vice chancellor corruption."
Students and teachers of Jahangirnagar University protests at their campus for the second day on Thursday, October 3, 2019 CollectedHe added: "We will hold a meeting in the afternoon and announce our upcoming programs."
What is the protest about?
Earlier, the protesting teachers and students declared an all-out strike across the university for Wednesday and Thursday.
The protesters accused the VC of engaging in corrupt practices in a development project, and an overall erosion of values, demanding she steps down from her position.
Countering these allegations, a group of teachers and other supporters of the current VC in a press briefing on Tuesday, said the protesting teachers were trying to topple the present VC to fulfill their own agenda of exercising authority.
In the same briefing, Vice Chancellor Farzana Islam refused to resign, citing that the allegations brought by the students were "unreasonable."
Students and teachers of JU, known for its trees and greenery, have been protesting against a government-approved Tk1,445 crore project for the construction of 23 new buildings, for which 1,150 trees are to be cut.
Many students and teachers were further outraged when it came to light on August 25, that JU VC Prof Farzana Islam was reportedly engaged in corruption and had distributed around Tk2 crore of project funds among three factions of Chhatra League’s JU unit.
