Teachers announce JnU shutdown until demands met
They are now also demanding justice for the police action on their long march yesterday
The Jagannath University (JnU) Teachers' Association has announced a shutdown of the institution's educational activities until the government meets the three-point demand they and the students are pushing for.
The three-point demand of JnU students and teachers include implementing housing allowance for 70% of JnU students starting from 2025-26 academic year, approving the proposed full budget for the same period without any cuts, and initiating the second campus project as a priority in the next Ecnec meeting.
They are now also demanding justice for the police action on their long march yesterday.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
The association's General Secretary Prof Raisuddin announced the shutdown at the students' protest and blockade at the capital's Kakrail Mosque Intersection, near the official residence of Chief Adviser (CA) Muhammad Yunus, following a discussion this afternoon (15 May).
"We have come here for the rights of the JnU students, to realise the demands of the students. Police have indiscriminately attacked us, which is complete anarchy and injustice. We have not come here to speak against anyone," Raisuddin said.
Students of Jagannath University protest at Kakrail, Dhaka, on 15 May 2025. Photo: Sadiqe Al Ashfaqe
"We will not return home until our demands are met. The shutdown at JnU will continue until our demands are met. No educational activities, including examinations, will take place at JnU till then," Samakal quoted him as saying while addressing the protest.
Stating that the outcome will not be satisfactory if any step is taken to remove them from the streets, the JnU professor added that no one will be able to attack any of the students in front of their eyes.
Jagannath University students and teachers protest at the Kakrail Mosque intersection in Dhaka on 15 May 2025. Photo: Mehedi Hasan/TBS
During the announcement, the students chanted various slogans, including "Want Residence, Not Discrimination", "No Budget Cut Will Be Allowed" and "We want justice for the attacks".
JnU students had previously submitted their three demands to the University Grants Commission (UGC) on Tuesday (13 May), but said they were not satisfied with the response. As a result, the long march for Wednesday was declared later.
As of 6:00pm, they are protesting by blocking the road in front of the Kakrail Mosque.
The road has been blocked from the intersection in front of Kakrail Church, through Kakrail Mosque intersection to Matsya Bhaban intersection. As a result, no vehicle is able to go from Kakrail intersection directly via Hair Road to Intercontinental towards Bangla Motor or through Matsya Bhaban intersection towards Shahbagh or Gulistan. However, ambulances are being allowed to pass.
Yesterday morning (14 May), the police stopped the long march of JnU teachers and students towards the CA's official residence, Jamuna, in front of the Kakrail Mosque.
As the situation worsened following heated altercations, police fired tear gas, lobbed sound grenades, and used water cannons to disperse the protesters.
The clash broke out at around 12:30pm. Protesters attempted to break through the police barricade, leading to a scuffle.
JnU students later claimed that at least 25 people were injured in the incident.
However, after the clash ended and the situation calmed down, the protesters did not fully clear the area. Some students slept on the street at the intersection during the night and resumed the protest in the morning.
More than 1,000 students were seen peacefully protesting at around 12:30pm today (15 May), braving rain amid a heavy presence of law enforcement officials.
The blockade in that area has led to severe traffic jams in the surrounding areas. Traffic from Kakrail to Matshya Bhaban came to a standstill since the morning as students placed university buses on the road, blocking traffic altogether.
The number of students increased gradually as more came from different areas of the city to join the protest. They were chanting slogans, such as "Kotha Bolo Jamuna, Khali Haat a Jabona" (speak out, Jamuna, we won't return empty-handed) and "Jei Haat Chhatra Mare, Sei Haat Bhenge Dao" (break the hands that beat the students).
Shadat Hossain Anu, a student of JnU's Social Work department, told The Business Standard that a total of 24 vehicles, including buses and microbuses, arrived with students, teachers, and staff from the university campus since morning.
Expressing solidarity, former students of the university are also joining the blockade. Many of them have reportedly arrived from different districts outside Dhaka.
Earlier in the morning, Professor Raisuddin told journalists that they have started the movement with three demands but have now expanded to four.
"Our primary demand now is justice by taking action against the police personnel who behaved like those of previous governments and attacked our students and teachers," he said.
Raisuddin mentioned that they have been demonstrating here since Wednesday, and the government has yet to take any initiative.
He noted that the demand they made was not about the information ministry. However, last night, the information adviser came there to convince the students, but one of his comments was so provocative that it led a student to throw a bottle at him.
In response, Raisuddin quickly said sorry on their behalf.
He further stated that JnU was neglected since the Awami League government came to power in 2009, as the university was established by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.
A large number of law enforcement officials, including the police, army, and the Border Guard Battalion (BGB), are remaining vigilant in the area. Barricades have been placed to stop the protesters from moving towards the chief adviser's residence.
A visit to the scene this morning revealed a determined crowd of demonstrators occupying the road. Some were lying down, others were seated, while several small groups engaged in light-hearted conversations.
Just in front of the police barricade, five protesting students sat on two chairs, engaged in conversation. Among them was Raisul Islam, a student of the Psychology Department at Jagannath University. He stated, "We've been here since yesterday. We will continue our protest until our demands are met."
Regarding the incident involving a bottle being thrown at Information and Broadcasting Adviser Mahfuj Alam, Raisul, said, "We don't see it as a major issue because he went to the government as our representative. Compared to the police attack on students yesterday, this is nothing."
Late last night, Mahfuj cancelled an address to protesters midway at Kakrail after a water bottle was thrown at him.
