Students of Jagannath University (JnU) on Sunday held a protest in solidarity with the Dhaka University (DU) students who are on hunger strike, demanding reforms in the Public Service Commission (PSC) and punishment for those involved in question leaks, and presenting a seven-point demand.
The students started their program in front of the central mosque of the university, marching through the Faculty of Science grounds, Shanti Chattar, and the main gate.
They finally gathered for a rally at Shanti Chattar.
During that time, the spokesperson for the movement, Sajjad Hossain Munna, a student from the Department of Bengali, presented their seven-point demand.
Ariful Islam, a student from the 12th batch of the Department of Physics, said: "After the July uprising, I never thought we would have to protest again for PSC reforms. If our demands are not met, we will be forced to take to the streets again, just like in July."
Arman Hossain, a student from the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, said: "There is no doubt that the question paper of the 46th BCS was leaked. The officials and students involved must be punished as an example. We have been protesting for PSC reforms, and this is not the end. If the reforms are not implemented, the movement will continue."
Sajjad said: "It is shameful to talk about this after August 5. We are disappointed with the interim government. We thought we wouldn’t have to take to the streets. Everyone knows, and it is clear as day, about the question leak in the last BCS exam. We strongly protest the harassment that students faced during the BCS viva."
The demands include:
- The viva marks of the 45th BCS should be set at 100.
- The marks for the preliminary, written, and viva exams must be published.
- A specific roadmap for each BCS exam should be announced.
- To make the recommendation process impartial, harassment during verification should be reduced, and the gazette process should be transparent and unbiased.
- Job guarantees must be provided to all who pass the viva.
- A commission should be formed within the next 7 days to reduce private center application fees to a reasonable level.
- Impartial individuals should be appointed to the viva boards for all BCS and other government job exams.
- Strict actions should be taken against the BCS question paper leak syndicates; otherwise, the exams must be held again.
