SUST students resume protest demanding VC’s resignation
Protesting students of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) have started demonstrating on the campus after 14 days demanding the resignation of SUST vice chancellor Farid Uddin Ahmed.
Students brought out a protest procession on the campus around 5:00pm on Wednesday, pressing home their demand.
Earlier, SUST students had demonstrated from 16 January to 25 January, demanding the VC’s resignation. At one stage, 24 students began hunger strike on 19 January. Four more students joined them later. Former SUST professor and popular writer Muhammed Zafar Iqbal broke the students’ hunger strike on 26 January.
At that time, students announced they would not opt blockade and hunger strike and continue non-violent protest. Since then, students continued their protest through various cultural activities. Now, they started their demonstration again after 14 days.
On Wednesday, students brought out a protest procession on the campus. The procession began from the university intersection (Gol Chttar), paraded on the Kilosorok and marched past the VC’s residence and Chetona 71 and then ended at the Gol Chttar. Protesters were seen holding placards containing photos of police attacking the students.
One of the protesting student, Shahriar Abedin said, “We broke the hunger strike because of the assurance from the top level of the government through professor Zafar Iqbal. We had been told that our demand would be met. But after many days, we have not seen any effort to implement any of the assurances that were given to us. Even students still face two cases. About 250 bank and mobile banking accounts of the students have been blocked and those amounts have not been activated as yet.”
“Besides, we have not seen any progress on our one-point demand for resignation or removal of the VC. Our least demand has not been met since we have backtracked from out demonstration. That is why we have been forced to go for strong protest. We will hold protest rally on Thursday to realise our demand,” he added.