20 BSMRSTU students injured as ‘VC’s men’ launch attack
The wounded students were admitted to Gopalganj General Hospital.
Mehedi Ripon, a third year student of chemistry department of the university alleged that VC’s men carrying local weapons launched the attack on the students.
“We stay in students’ mess at Nobinbagh area. VC’s men carrying sticks, sharp local weapons swooped on us at Gobra Sobhanbagh area in the morning while we were heading towards the campus. At least 25-30 students were injured in the attack,” he added.
Second year student of sociology department Shakil Ahmed said, “We are only demonstrating for the VC’s removal. Not against anybody else. Why were we attacked?”
Earlier on Saturday, agitating students defy an order to vacate the residential halls.
A notice signed by BSMRSTU registrar Nuruddin Ahmed said the authorities extended the Durga Puja vacation from 22 September till 3 October.
The authorities also asked the students to vacate halls within 10:00am Saturday but they refused and continued their demonstration.
The university administration discontinued water and electricity supply of the residential halls and barred the students to exit halls up to 11:00am. Thousands of students join the ongoing demonstration and stage sit-in programme in front of administrative building.
Assistant proctor resigns protesting at the attack on the students.
Meanwhile, assistant proctor of the university Humayun Kabir has resigned from his post protesting at the attack on students and expressing solidarity with the ongoing movement.
“Today’s attack was carried out at the behest of the university administration. I protest such attack on my students and have resigned from my post on the moral ground,” Humayun said
VC Khondokar Nasir Uddin, however, denied the allegation of attack on the students and said a section 144 has been imposed in the campus.
“I don’t know who attacked the students. The university has been closed and section 144 imposed in the campus to bring the situation under control,” he said.
But Gopalganj’s executive magistrate Shahida Sultana denied the imposition of section 144.
“The VC requested me to impose 144 but there was no such situation in the campus to impose section 144,” she added.
BSMRSTU’s decision to suspend its student Fatema-tuz-Zinia, also the university correspondent of the Daily Sun, on 10 September for her ‘objectionable’ writings on Facebook triggered a student protest.
Her suspension order was revoked on Wednesday following widespread protests.
But students continue their demonstration demanding VC’s removal.