SUST students demand resignation of new proctor

Protesting students of the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) in Sylhet have now called for the resignation of the new proctor, reports UNB.

SUST proctor Md Alamgir Kabir was relieved from his position Thursday and replaced by associate professor Md Ishrat Ibne Ismail of the English department.

The anti-VC movement that began after police action on protesting students on 16 January also demanded the removal of professor Alamgir from his post as proctor.

"A female student was sexually harassed in front of the newly appointed proctor Ishrat Ibne Ismail. But he did nothing to stop that. The incident is under investigation. It was not a right decision to appoint him to a key position at the university at such a time," Yasir Sarkar, one of the students who joined the meeting with education minister Dipu Moni Friday, told the media at a press conference.

"For his removal, we have placed our demand to the education minister. The minister assured us that the right steps would be taken in this connection. She also told us that the opinion of the students would be taken into consideration for the appointment of a proctor for the future."

The anti-VC movement has been suspended for one day, Yasir added.

Earlier in the day, the agitating students reiterated their demand for the resignation of vice-chancellor (VC) Farid Uddin during their meeting with Dipu Moni.

After the meeting, Dipu told reporters, "Some demands of the students have already been met. Their main demand is the resignation or removal of the VC."

"The demand will be presented to the president, the chancellor of the university, since he holds the power to appoint someone as VC and remove him or her from the post."

The students raised eight demands during their three-hour meeting with Dipu Moni at the Circuit House in Sylhet.

They resumed protests Wednesday after their demand for the removal of VC was not met.

The protests began in the middle of January. Over two dozen SUST students who went on fast unto death ended their strike on 26 January. They broke the fast after former SUST professor Zafar Iqbal offered them water to drink.

The students embarked on the hunger strike on the university campus on 19 January 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. Also, 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 policemen.

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 13 January when they met her with some complaints.

She later resigned from her post, citing health issues.