The students of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) have suspended their movement on Saturday following a meeting with Education Minister Dipu Moni.
They urged the university authorities to resume the classes and examinations.
The students made the announcement at 7 pm at a press briefing on the SUST campus.
“The meeting with the education minister and the deputy education minister was successful and as the minister has assured us of fulfilling all our demands, we’re suspending the movement for now. We’ll be waiting to see our demands are met,” said Mohaiminul Islam Raj, spokesperson of the protesting students.
The students have discussed their six-point demand and some proposals for the overall development of all the universities of the country, he said.
“We’re urging the university authorities to resume classes and examinations from Sunday,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Vice-Chancellor of SUST Farid Uddin Ahmed expressed regret over the police action on protesting students on January 16.
“I express my sincere sympathy to all of those, including students, teachers and staff injured in the unwanted incident on that day,” he said in a press statement.
On Friday, regarding the student’s demand of VC’s resignation Dipu Moni said it will be placed before the President as he is the Chancellor of the university, holding the power to appoint and remove someone from the post of VC.
Regarding the two cases filed against the protesting students, she said arrangements will be made to withdraw those cases as soon as possible.
Also, the mobile banking accounts and numbers of students that were shut during the protest will be reactivated within a few days, said Dipu Moni to the protesting students at the meeting.
Dipu Moni also assured that proper treatment will be provided to Sajal Kunda who was injured in police firing and a government job appointment for him, said the students at the briefing.
The students resumed their protests on Wednesday after their demand for the removal of VC was not met. They are now calling for the resignation of the new proctor.
SUST Proctor Md Alamgir Kabir was relieved from his position on Thursday and replaced by Associate Professor Md Ishrat Ibne Ismail of the English department.
The protests began in the middle of January. And over two dozen SUST students who went on fast unto death ended their strike on January 26. They broke the fast after former SUST Prof Zafar Iqbal offered them water to drink.
The students embarked on the hunger strike on the university campus on January 19, demanding the resignation of the VC over the police crackdown on their fellows.
The strike was launched after police swooped on the protesting students, charging batons and firing sound grenades and shotgun bullets. On the other hand, the police had filed a case against 300 unnamed protesting students.
The alleged attack was carried out to free the VC from confinement in the university’s IICT building, and it had left 40 people hurt, including teachers, students and cops.
Zafrin Ahmed, a provost of Begum Sirajunnesa Chowdhury Hall, was at the centre of the initial unrest as she allegedly misbehaved with some students on January 13 when they met her with some complaints.
She later resigned from her post, citing health issues.
Source: United News of Bangladesh