Students of Jagannath University are protesting on the streets for the second day in a row.
They did not leave the streets even late on Wednesday night. The protesting students have also announced that they will continue their peaceful protest until their three-point demands are confirmed. It has been seen on the ground that students are protesting on the streets in Kakrail even late at night. Many have spent the night lying on the streets, and many have slept on the streets. They have been seen chanting slogans intermittently even late at night. The protesting students allege that although they have been promised repeatedly in the past to solve the housing crisis, it has not been implemented. This time, it is not a promise; they will not return to the campus without the full implementation of the three-point demands. Earlier, at 11 am on Wednesday, several hundred students marched from the university campus towards the Jamuna, the office of the Chief Advisor, with the ‘Long March to Jamuna’ program. The protesting students broke several police barricades along the way and moved forward. However, when they reached the Kakrail intersection, they faced police obstacles. During this time, incidents of brickbats and chases and counter-chases occurred between the protesting students and the police. At one point, the law enforcement forces dispersed the students by lathi-charge, stun grenades and tear gas. At least 38 people, including teachers, students and journalists, were injured.
It is learned that a student-teacher rally was held on the campus last Monday to demand the students’ demands. After that, representatives of various organizations of the university and members of the teachers’ association participated in a meeting with officials of the University Grants Commission (UGC). Although the meeting discussed increasing the budget of JB and resolving the housing crisis, the students complained that their demands were not met.
According to them, although the university and students presented their respective demands properly, the UGC, as always, turned them away with assurances of responsibility. From there, representatives of all the organizations of the university discussed together and announced the ‘Long March to Jamuna’.
Meanwhile, Information and Broadcasting Advisor Mahfuz Alam said that action will be taken regarding the students’ demands after discussing them with the administration soon. He said, the Chief Advisor will hold a meeting with the university administration soon. An attempt will be made to resolve the students’ three-point demands in the meeting. The government will listen to any reasonable movement.
