A recent protest of Jahangirnagar University officers and workers against some “unruly students who vandalised” the vice chancellor’s residence after the death of two students in the May 27 road accident has created controversy.
Several students alleged that the staff’s protest was backed by the administration, and its aim was to harass the students.
Protesting the deaths of their fellows, the students took to the street and later besieged the VC’s residence and allegedly vandalised it on the night of May 27. Over the incident, the university registrar filed a case against 31 students and 50 unidentified others the next day.
On the May 27 night, the university syndicate, at an emergency meeting, asked students to vacate the halls the next day. But at another meeting, on June 3, the syndicate decided to reopen the dormitories on June 8, and give Tk 5 lakh in compensation to families of the students killed in the road accident.
The syndicate did not decide about withdrawal of the case, however.
Meanwhile, on Monday, the university Officers’ Association, Employees’ Association, and Employees’ Union held a human chain on the campus, protesting “vandalism of the vice chancellor’s residence and physical assault on teachers, officers and employees” on the night of May 27. They also referred to the rowdy students as criminals.
About the protest, a student said, “Our vice chancellor on several occasions told media that the case will be withdrawn. But 10 days after the incident, the university staff’s movement backed by the authorities seemed to be a new plot to harass us.”
“It is double standards of the university authorities,” the student said.
Vice Chancellor Prof Farzana Islam, however, refuted the allegations, saying some of the staff were injured in the attack, and they organised the protest on their own.
“Neither did they come to me nor did I tell them to organise it,” she said.
Though the staff held the human chain on Monday, the news did not appear on most media. The next day, however, the public relations (PR) office of the university sent a press release to media outlets, requesting them to report the issue.
Referring to the incident, several protesters raised questions about whether the PR office could send such a release.
Talking about the protest, Rayhan Rhyne, an associate professor of philosophy, said it seemed the administration owned the staff’s movement.
Talking to The Daily Star, Salam Saqlain, the deputy director of the PR office, said, “The university officers and workers are part of the university; they are not outsiders. We think their demands have only gone in favour of the administration’s stance.”
“At this moment, this is a positive movement for the university administration. So we sent the press release,” said Salam, adding that the VC was informed of it.
Asked, the VC said it was an event of the university, and the PR office could send such press releases as general news.
Imran Nadim, president of JU Chhatra Union, said, “It is a shame when such a press release came from the university’s PR office. We are concerned whether the authorities really want a solution or not.”
Meanwhile, asked for comments about branding the agitating students as “criminals”, Sarowar Hossain, vice president of the Officers’ Association, said they had instruction about making comment on media about this incident.
Contacted over the phone, President of the Officers’ Association Masudur Rahman declined to comment.
Amor Chand Mandol, president of the Workers’ Association, said, “Our staff were injured by the rowdy students. So we demanded their punishment.”
“We have given one month time to the university authorities to take action against them,” he added.
Asked about the case against the students, the VC said the state had become the plaintiff of the case now.
“As the police investigation has already started, it is not possible to withdraw the case right now… There are some procedures and we need time for this,” she said.
Talking to newsmen, the VC said on Wednesday that the administration had already written to its legal advisor about the case. “We will see both sides — withdrawal of the case as well as merit of the case.”
Mohsinul Quader, officer-in-charge of Ashulia Police Station, said they did not have problems to withdraw the case if both parties agreed to do so.
“But there are some procedures to follow,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Shikkhak-Shikkharthi Oikya Mancha yesterday decided to submit a memorandum to the VC, renewing their demands including withdrawal of the case against the students and reconstitution of the committee investigating the incident.
