Dhaka College students vow to stay at halls rejecting closure order
The protesting students of Dhaka College have declared that they would stay at the residential halls defying the college authorities order to leave the dormitories by afternoon.
The students were staying at the halls until filing of this report around 9:00pm while the shopkeepers took position in the New Market area.
Following a clash between the students and the traders of New Market, the college authorities in the afternoon announced a shutdown until 5 May and ordered the students to vacate the residential halls within afternoon.
Soon after the announcement, the students took position in front of the principal’s office and staged a demonstration there around 3:30pm.
Later, the protesting students and leaders of Bangladesh Chhatra League declared that they had rejected the authorities’ decision and would stay at the halls at any cost.
ATM Mainul Hossain, the acting principal of Dhaka College, told Prothom Alo that he had briefed the higher authorities about the students’ intention of staying at halls.
However, no fresh decision was taken as yet about deferring the closure, he said, adding that they were waiting for instruction from the high ups.
Fuwad Hassan, a leader of Dhaka College unit Chhatra League, said they will stay on the campus until death, if necessary.
“We will continue the movement until the trial of the attack on general students of Dhaka College was carried out. We have urged the principal to settle the issue. If it does not happen, we will demand his resignation,” he told Prothom Alo.
Md Sajjadur Rahman, the deputy commissioner of Ramna division police, also confirmed that the students were staying at their halls rejecting the shut-down announcement.
The students and New Market shopkeepers engaged in a clash on Monday midnight over a trifling matter. The clash ended unsettled before Sehri, but resumed in the morning at 10:00am.
Later, police went to the spot in the afternoon and brought the situation under control after firing tear shells and charging batons.