JU protesters reject offer of talks

Protesting students and teachers of Jahangirnagar University on Wednesday announced to continue their siege programme for the third consecutive day, rejecting the administration's proposal to sit for discussion, reports UNB. 

They made the announcement around 5:00pm after completing their programme of besieging two administrative buildings for the second consecutive day.

On the day, the protesters under the banner of 'Jahangirnagar Against Corruption' took position in front of the two buildings around 7:00am protesting unplanned development, corruption by the vice chancellor and endangerment of biodiversity on the campus, that caused a standstill in administrative activities of the university.

At one stage, the acting proctor ASM Firoz-ul-Hasan and other members of the proctorial body went to the spot and urged the protesters to sit on the table unconditionally with the vice-chancellor.

But the proposal was rejected by the protesters who sought assurances that their demands would be fully met and declared to continue the siege programme.

Ashiqur Rahman, president of Jahangirnagar Cultural Alliance, said they will respond to the authority's proposal only when they will get assurance of meeting the demands.

Professor Tareq Reza of Bangla department demanded a representative from the University Grants Commission (UGC) sit in on the discussion table since the vice-chancellor herself is accused of irregularities and mismanagement of the project money.

However, the vice-chancellor Farzana Islam told UNB that some trees must be cut off for the development project.

Besides, the master plan for infrastructural development on the campus cannot be described as 'unplanned' as it was formulated by veteran experts and planners of the country, she maintained.