JU threatens legal action, asks students to leave halls

Jahangirnagar University (JU) administration has threatened to take legal action against students who forcibly entered and took position of some halls.

In an emergency notice, signed by the university’s acting registrar, on Sunday the university said: “For the information of all concerned, Jahangirnagar University, like other universities in the country, has been closed since March 19, 2020 as per government directives to protect students from the Covid-19 global epidemic. 

“A number of students disobeyed government orders and forcibly entered some residential halls and took up position on Saturday evening. The university administration is instructing them to leave the hall on their own initiative by 10am on Monday. Otherwise, the university administration will be forced to take legal action against them.”

Also read - JU students continue protest to reopen hall

On Saturday, JU students unlocked the main gate of a dormitory as the authorities did not take any step to fulfill their 3-point demand, including hall reopening.

A procession of students protesting Friday’s attack on them by some residents of an adjacent village reached Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall around 12:30 pm and unlocked the gate.

They also threatened to take control of other halls and go for a tougher movement if their demands are not met. Their other demands are providing compensation to the victims and the treatment costs of the injured students.

Also Read - JU students defy order to vacate halls

On Friday, several students of the university were injured in an attack by the residents of a village adjacent to the campus.

JU’s acting proctor ASM Firoz Ul Hasan said the clash erupted following a dispute over a cricket match.