Students block highway in Barishal protesting GD filed against fellow classmates

Students of Barishal University (BU) blocked the Barishal-Kuakata highway last night (29 April) in protest against the filing of a General Diary (GD) against 22 students involved in ongoing demonstrations demanding removal of the university registrar. 

The blockade began around 8:30pm, following a torch procession on the highway. However, considering public inconvenience, the students lifted the blockade at approximately 10:45pm.

Student Mosharraf Hossain stated, "Students cannot be suppressed through threats and cases. Just like how autocratic [former PM Sheikh] Hasina tried to crush anyone going against them with force, the university administration is now doing the same."

He added, "We demand the reinstatement of Professor Mohsin Uddin to the Syndicate and Academic Council.

"The GD must be withdrawn immediately. Until Vice-Chancellor Suchita Sharmin publicly apologises for sheltering authoritarian elements, our protests will continue."

Another protester, Rakin Khan, said, "We were protesting peacefully, but the administration is trying to silence us in an authoritarian manner. Let it be clear: students have never been suppressed before, and we will not be silenced now. We will continue until our demands are met."

Student Mahmud echoed the sentiment, stating that the movement would continue until their demands are fulfilled, but they decided to lift the road blockade after two and a half hours to ease public suffering.

Meanwhile, bus passenger Abdur Rahman expressed his frustration, saying, "I was on my way to Patuakhali and got stuck for hours due to the roadblock. It was a real hassle."

The GD was filed on Monday (28 April) by BU Assistant Registrar (Security) KM Sanowar Parvez Liton against 22 students for allegedly disrupting the academic environment and creating chaos on campus. The complaint named 10 students and listed another 10–12 as unidentified.

Earlier, the protesting students had been demanding the removal of Registrar Monirul Islam and the reinstatement of Professor Mohsin Uddin to his former position.

On Sunday, as part of their movement, the students burned an effigy of the registrar and locked his office, after which the GD was filed.