General students of Dhaka University and activists of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal on Thursday evening staged a protest at Dhaka University against the invitation of pro-Awami League members to a syndicate meeting.
The demonstration began at around 6:00pm in front of the Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Building under the banner of general students. Later, JCD members joined the protest.
During the protest, students chanted slogans demanding the immediate formation of DUCSU (Dhaka University Central Students鈥� Union). JCD activists called for the dissolution of the current syndicate, asserting that they do not want a rushed DUCSU under its authority.
General students participating in the protest under their banner voiced their opposition to the inclusion of pro-Awami members in the syndicate and demanded the immediate reactivation of DUCSU. Slogans such as 鈥楪ive us DUCSU or vacate your seats,鈥� and 鈥楤reak the illegal syndicate, destroy it,鈥� resonated through the demonstration.
JCD members also raised slogans against the syndicate. Later, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Niaz Ahmed Khan arrived at the scene and listened to both parties.
Abidur Rahman Mishu, the publicity secretary of JCD鈥檚 Surja Sen Hall unit, urged the Vice-Chancellor not to make any decisions regarding DUCSU elections under pressure from unelected syndicate members.
Addressing the protesters, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Niaz Ahmed Khan stated that pro-Awami members were not included in Thursday鈥檚 syndicate meeting in response to the students鈥� demands.
He explained that several pro-Awami individuals had been excluded from the syndicate following proper procedures. The meeting, he said, was held to ensure the progress of administrative activities. He also sought the cooperation of the students.
Regarding DUCSU, the Vice-Chancellor clarified that it was not on the agenda of the day鈥檚 syndicate meeting. He assured students that any decisions on DUCSU would be taken only after consulting all stakeholders based on relevant committee recommendations. The syndicate meeting, DU鈥檚 highest policy-making body, began at 6 PM. The protest was triggered by the invitation extended to three pro-Awami members, former Pro-Vice Chancellor (Education) and former convener of the pro-Awami League Blue Panel, Prof. Dr. Sitesh Chandra Bachar ;President of the Dhaka University Teachers鈥� Association and Blue Panel leader Professor Md Nizamul Hoque Buiyan, and Awami League leader S M Bahalul Majnun Chunnu.
Later In the face of anger from general students and Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal activists, they were kept away from the meeting. The meeting was ongoing at the time of writing this report at around 10:00pm.
