Teachers, officers and employees of Rajshahi University have declared an indefinite shutdown following allegations of student misconduct against a teacher during demonstrations over the reinstatement of the ward quota.
As a result, classes and examinations scheduled for September 29-30 will remain suspended. However, the Rajshahi University Central Students’ Union (Rucsu) election will proceed on Thursday as planned, since it has been kept outside the purview of the shutdown.
The announcement was made on Sunday afternoon after the emergency syndicate meeting’s decision was conveyed.
President of the RU Officers’ Association, Moktar Hossain, said: “We are disappointed with the syndicate’s decision. Our shutdown program will continue until the students responsible for the assault on the teacher are punished. Apart from the Rucsu election, water, electricity and transportation, all other services will remain suspended.”
Earlier, at around 5:15pm on Sunday, after the emergency syndicate meeting, Acting Registrar Professor Iftekharul Alam Masud said that two committees—a five-member internal investigation committee and a judicial inquiry committee—had been formed to investigate the incident of scuffles between students and teachers, officers and employees over the ward quota on Saturday.
He further said that admissions under the institutional facility (ward quota) had been suspended.
“A report has been presented to the syndicate. A final decision will be made soon after discussions with all relevant bodies,” he added.
The syndicate also urged the Election Commission, teachers, students and all concerned parties to extend their cooperation in holding the Rucsu election in due course.
According to sources, protests had intensified on Thursday evening after the university administration decided to reinstate the ward quota in an emergency academic meeting. Ordinary students, former coordinators, and leaders of political student organisations joined in, staging demonstrations that continued until 11pm.
The following day, after Friday prayers, students again took to the streets. Some of them launched a hunger strike unto death demanding cancellation of the ward quota.
After an overnight hunger strike, at around 3:30pm on Friday, students besieged the vice-chancellor’s residence.
They obstructed the pro-vice chancellor’s car and hurled money at it before locking the residence of pro-vice chancellor (Administration) Professor Moin Uddin Khan.
As he was unable to enter his residence, Professor Khan, accompanied by Proctor Mahbubur Rahman, attempted to enter Zuberi Bhaban but was obstructed again by students.
At that point, scuffles broke out between students and university officials, employees and teachers.
Several students and journalists sustained injuries in the altercation.
Pro-Vice Chancellor (Administration) Professor Moin Uddin Khan, Registrar Iftekharul Alam Masud, Proctor Mahbubur Rahman, Rucsu Chief Election Commissioner Professor Enamul Haque, and several others remained confined for several hours.
In the face of relentless protests, Vice-Chancellor Professor Saleh Hasan Nakib suspended ward quota admissions at around 1:45am on Friday night.
In Sunday’s emergency syndicate meeting, he assured that a final decision would soon be announced. Following his assurance, students gradually began to withdraw from the program and by 3:30am all students had returned to their dormitories.
It may be noted that, under pressure from students’ demonstrations, Vice-Chancellor Professor Saleh Hasan Nakib had earlier declared the abolition of the ward quota on January 2 this year. Since then, teachers, officers, and employees have repeatedly staged movements demanding recognition of the ward quota as an institutional facility.
In their latest move, on Wednesday, they issued a letter threatening a full-day work abstention from Sunday, if their demand was not met by 18 September. In response, the university administration convened an emergency academic meeting on Thursday, where the decision to reinstate the ward quota under ten conditions was taken.
