Classes and academic activities at Dhaka University (DU) resumed today after nearly three-and-a-half months due to unrest centering student-led movement. Classes started around 10am this morning with students gathering around their classrooms and faculty premises waiting eagerly to take part in the classes. On the day, a one-minute silence was observed in memory of the martyrs of the recent mass upsurge including students and ordinary people and pigeons were released as a symbol of peace around 9am on the premises of the university's Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury bhaban. Led by DU Vice-Chancellor (VC) Professor Dr Niaz Ahmed Khan, DU Pro-VC (Administration) Prof Dr Sayema Haque Bidisha, Pro-VC (Academic) Dr Mamun Ahmed, Treasurer Dr Jahangir Alam Chowdhury and Proctor Saifuddin Ahmed also took part on the occasion. Later, the VC visited the classrooms of different faculties and institutes and exchanged views with the students and teachers. Students expressed the joy and excitement after returning to classes after around 112 days. "We have been waiting for the classes in the new political environment. Students are getting their legal seats in the dormitories and enjoying their days with friends through arranging different programmes," said Nahiyan Mejabin Himadri, a third-year student of DU International Business Department. From now on, the campus will be vibrant with student's gatherings and the dormitories will be only for regular students, she hoped. Another student from the Mass Communication and Journalism Department said it is time for the university to get back its pride through bringing massive reformation in each sector. Vacation in the university began on June 2 before Eid-ul-Azha. After the Eid holidays, class activities were scheduled to start on July 1. However, public universities became inactive since July 1 as the teachers began a work abstention demanding the reinstatement of the previous pension scheme in place of the Prottoy scheme. Later, the then Awami League gove rnment had shut down all educational institutions on July 16 amid an eruption of violence centering the student- led mass upsurge. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
