RU teachers allegedly ‘clash’ with students on hunger strike

Teachers and officials of Rajshahi University (RU) allegedly assaulted the students of the university’s Urdu department, who were staging a hunger strike since Monday morning, reports UNB.

Four female students were admitted to the university medical center after the incident, which took place in front of the administration building of the university on Monday evening.

The injured students are - Monija Akhtar, Runa Akhtar, Nusrat Jahan Priya and Sumaiya of the 2019-20 batch of Urdu department.

Among them, Manija Akhtar and Sumaiya were taken to Rajshahi Medical College (RMC) Hospital as their condition was critical. The two other injured students were admitted to the university’s medical center.

Eyewitnesses and students of the Urdu department said that the officials and teachers of the university came in front of the administration building to break the hunger strike of the students. At one point, a fight broke out between the teachers and the agitated students. This led to a scuffle between the two sides.

Four students of the Urdu department got injured in the incident. The students claimed that they all were beaten up by the authorities.

University pro-vice-chancellor prof Sultan-Ul-Islam, proctor prof Ashabul Haque, student advisor M Tareq Nur, assistant proctor Zakir Hossain and theatre department’s prof Ataur Rahman Raju, were present during the scuffle with the students.

Later, other students thronged in front of the administration building and chanted different slogans in protest of the incident.

Earlier, at 10.30am in the morning, a second year students of the Urdu Department sat on a hunger strike in front of the administrative building of the University, demanding reevaluation of the results. When the university administration wanted to negotiate, the students announced that they would continue their hunger strike until their demands would be met.

While asked about the complaint, Ataur Rahman Raju, professor of theatre department said, “If they can prove the allegations against me, I will leave my job tomorrow morning. When the administration came to talk to them they were loud with the authorities and raised various slogans against the administration. Then I tried to convince them."

In the meantime, a five-member delegation of the students held a discussion with the administration. Later at 8.30pm, university vice-chancellor professor Golam Sabbir Sattar, two pro-vice-chancellors and proctor came and broke their hunger strike.

Meanwhile, vice-chancellor Golam Sabbir Sattar said that according to the university's ordinance, there is no opportunity to re-evaluate the results after the publication of the results. But we will always work in the interest of students. He assured to form an investigation committee within seven days to solve the case.

“Later, regular counseling will be done to improve the relationship between teachers and students of the department,” prof Sattar stated.