SUST students call off protest

SUST Correspondent : The agitating students of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) have called off their ongoing movement.

They made the announcement at a press briefing at around 7.45 pm on the campus on Saturday.

Mohaiminul Bashar Raj, spokesperson of the agitating students, read out a written statement at the press briefing.

Raj said, “We have called off our movement for now keeping faith on Education Minister Dipu Moni’s assurance to fulfill the demands placed by us.”

The agitating students said that everyone will take part in the classes and examinations from tomorrow.

They further said that their first demand was the resignation of Vice Chancellor Farid Uddin Ahmed.

“The education minister said he will present the matter to Chancellor. We hope that the Chancellor will make the right decision to ensure the quality and environment of our education.”

Earlier, Vice-Chancellor of SUST Farid Uddin Ahmed expressed regret over the police action on protesting students on January 16.

“I express my sincere sympathy to all of those, including students, teachers and staff injured in the unwanted incident on that day,” he said in a press statement.

The protests began in the middle of January and over two dozen SUST students who went on fast unto death ended their strike on January 26.

The students embarked on the hunger strike on the university campus on January 19, demanding the resignation of the VC over the police crackdown on their fellows.

The strike was launched after police swooped on the protesting students, charging batons and firing sound grenades and shotgun bullets.

On the other hand, the police had filed a case against 300 unnamed protesting students.

The alleged attack was carried out to free the VC from confinement in the university’s IICT building, and it had left 40 people hurt, including teachers, students and cops.

Zafrin Ahmed, a provost of Begum Sirajunnesa Chowdhury Hall, was at the centre of the initial unrest as she allegedly misbehaved with some students on January 13 when they met her with some complaints.

She later resigned from her post, citing health issues.