Admission under the institutional privilege (ward quota) at Rajshahi University has been suspended for now and the administration has made a call to the commission and all concerned to hold the Rajshahi University Central Students’ Union (Rucsu) election on schedule.
In addition, two probe bodies have been formed over Saturday’s scuffle involving teachers, officers, staff, and students centering the quota.
Professor Iftikharul Alam Masud, acting registrar of the university, briefed reporters after an emergency syndicate meeting held on Sunday at 5:15pm.
He said a five-member internal probe body and a judicial investigation committee were formed over the scuffle centering the ward quota. Admission under institutional privilege has been suspended for now. The matter has been reported to the syndicate. A final decision will be made soon after discussion with all concerned bodies. The syndicate also made a call to the election commission, teachers, students, and all concerned to ensure the Rucsu polls are held on time.
On Saturday, teachers, officers, and staff announced a complete shutdown program protesting the reported harassment of a teacher during student demonstrations against the quota. They declared that the program would continue until those involved are brought under punishment. However, they clarified that all activities related to the Rucsu election would remain outside the purview of the shutdown.
It was learned that on Thursday evening, after the university administration restored the quota in an emergency academic meeting, general students, former coordinators, and leaders of political student organizations united in protest. They continued demonstrations until 11pm. The following Friday, students staged protests after Friday prayers. Later, several students began a hunger strike unto death demanding cancellation of the quota.
After fasting all night, students laid siege to the vice chancellor’s residence at 3:30pm on Saturday. At that time, they intercepted the pro vice chancellor’s car and threw money at it. They then locked the residence of Pro-Vice Chancellor (Administration) Professor Main Uddin.
As he failed to enter his residence, he tried to go to Zuberi building along with Proctor Mahbubor Rahman but faced further resistance from students. At that point, teachers, officers, and staff engaged in scuffles with the students. Several students and journalists were injured in the melee.
Pro-Vice Chancellor (Administration) Professor Main Uddin, Registrar Iftikharul Alam Masud, Proctor Mahbubor Rahman, Rucsu Chief Election Commissioner Professor Enamul Haque, and several others remained confined for several hours.
Under pressure from the ongoing protest, Vice Chancellor Professor Saleh Hasan Naqib suspended admission under the quota at 1:45am and assured a final decision at the emergency syndicate meeting on Sunday. Following this, students gradually withdrew from the program. By 3:30am all students returned to their halls.
It may be recalled that on January 2 this year, Vice Chancellor Professor Saleh Hasan Naqib announced the cancellation of the quota amid student protests. Since then, teachers, officers, and staff have launched one movement after another, terming the quota an institutional privilege.
Most recently, on Wednesday, they issued a letter threatening indefinite full-day work abstention from Sunday if their demand was not met by Thursday.
Accordingly, the university administration convened an emergency academic committee meeting on Thursday afternoon. In that meeting, the administration decided to restore the quota under 10 conditions.
