'Won't leave until demands met': JnU protesters announce indefinite sit-in at Kakrail over three-point demand
They demand approval of the university’s proposed full budget, housing allowance, and the launch of its second campus
Highlights:
- Long march announced by Jagannath University students and teachers
- Protesters attempted to break police barricade, resulting in clashes with law enforcers
- Protesters demand approval of the university's proposed full budget, housing allowance, and a second campus
Protesters demanding full housing scholarships, full budget approval and implementation of the second campus project for Jagannath University (JnU) have announced an indefinite sit-in at the capital's Kakrail.
"We will not leave the place until our demands are met. We will stay here all night. If any harm comes to our students, the government will have to take responsibility for it," JnU student Shamsul Arefin, a representative of the All-Party Student Unity, announced from in front of Kakrail mosque around midnight (14 May).
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He also extended an apology over the incident of a bottle being thrown at Information Adviser Mahfuj Alam while he was addressing the protesters earlier tonight.
"On behalf of the students, we express our regret that a bottle was thrown at the adviser. However, although we express our regret, the government will have to take responsibility for it," he said.
"All organisations are in agreement with our demands."
Meanwhile, Rois Uddin, general secretary of the Jagannath University Teachers' Association, also said, "We will remain on the streets until our demands are met."
He, too, expressed his regret on behalf of the teachers and students regarding the throwing of bottles at Adviser Mahfuj.
He said, "It was not our students who threw bottles. Someone who opposes the protest did it to sabotage the movement. The administration should investigate this and find out [the culprit] and give appropriate punishment."
Earlier tonight, Information and Broadcasting Adviser Mahfuj cancelled an address to protesters midway after a water bottle was thrown at him during at Kakrail tonight.
Mahfuj announced that he will not hold the briefing after the incident, our correspondent reports from the spot.
One of the teachers present there claimed the bottle was thrown by an outsider and not a student of the JnU. However, it could not be immediately confirmed who threw the bottle.
In the evening, JnU University Vice-Chancellor Professor Md Rezaul Karim and Treasurer Professor Sabina Sharmin have also joined the students' movement.
Prior to this, the police stopped a long march of university teachers and students towards chief adviser's official residence Jamuna, demanding housing scholarships, full budget approval and implementation of the second campus project.
Police fired tear gas, lobbed sound grenades and used water cannons to disperse the protesters.
A JnU student named Abir Hossain claimed that 25 people were injured in the incident.
They were taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where all 25 received treatment at the emergency department.
Inspector Md Faruk, in charge of the Dhaka Medical College Hospital police outpost, said that several of the injured were brought to the emergency department and are currently undergoing treatment.
The clash broke out around 12:30pm near the Kakrail Mosque area, where law enforcers obstructed the procession. Protesters attempted to break through the police barricade, leading to a scuffle.
As tensions escalated, police began baton-charging, firing tear gas, water cannons and deploying sound grenades, which eventually forced the marchers to retreat towards the Matsya Bhaban intersection.
"Many of our fellow students and some teachers were injured in the police action. Several of them have been taken to the hospital," said a JnU student taking part in the march.
Their three-point demand includes implementing housing allowance for 70% of JnU students starting from the 2025–26 fiscal year, approving the proposed full budget for the same period without any cuts, and initiating the university's second campus project as a priority in the next ECNEC meeting.
The long march began around 11:45am from the 'Genocide in 1971' sculpture premises on the university campus. Students began gathering at the main gate at 10am.
The protest was organised by "July Oikko", a platform comprising various political, social, and cultural student organisations active on campus.
Leaders and activists from JnU Teachers' Association, Chhatra Dal, Chhatra Odhikar Parishad, Samajtantrik Chhatra Front, Chhatra Shibir, Gonotantrik Chhatra Sangsad, Baisammobirodhi Chhatra Andolon, and different cultural groups joined the march.
The students had previously submitted their demands to the University Grants Commission (UGC) yesterday (13 May), but said they were not satisfied with the response. As a result, the long march was declared later that day.
