Rajshahi University students today blocked the Dhaka-Rajshahi highway to protest the “attack on them by locals and police” last night.
Members of Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) were deployed on the highway to control the situation, UNB’s RU correspondent said.
Earlier today, students demonstrated in front of the administration building of the university and locked the building to protest last night’s clash involving locals of Binodpur and the students of Rajshahi University. At least 200 students were injured during the clash.
The protesting students shouted slogans with their six-point demand, calling for justice.
Their demands are: justice for the attack on RU students by locals and police, stopping the entry of outsiders in the university and ensuring safety of the students, ensuring on-campus accommodation for all students, ensuring proper treatment of the injured students, taking necessary measures within 24 hours of the incident, and ensuring student representation in forming university policies.
According to the university sources, the students staged a sit-in protest in front of the Senate Building after holding a protest march on the campus to talk with the authorities. Later, they blocked the Vice Chancellor Professor Dr. Golam Shabbir Sattar, the Pro Vice-Chancellor Prof. Md. Sultan-Ul-Islam, and Prof. M. Humayun Kabir for two hours in front of Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Senate building.
VC Prof Golam Sabbir Sattar urged the students to stop the demonstration. However, the agitating students rejected his request and asked him to solve the issue.
Amanullah Khan, a student of Population Science and Human Resource Development department of the university, said, “Police were largely inactive in the incident, rather they threw tear gas shells and fired rubber bullets at us. Taking advantage of their inaction, local thugs attacked us. The agitation will continue if our demands are not met.”
At that time, he demanded the resignation of the university’s proctorial body and student advisor.
