Saturday, 21 December, 2024
Students at Government Titumir College in Dhaka’s Mohakhali have launched a boycott of classes and examinations to protest the heavy police presence on campus.
On Tuesday, as tensions rose, the police initially entered the campus but withdrew after facing student opposition, instead positioning themselves outside the main gate.
Authorities have stated that they will not permit students to take their protest to the streets, while the students have clarified that their demonstration is limited to a campus-wide ‘shutdown’ and does not involve blocking roads or rail lines, as seen in previous protests.
Hundreds of students in Mohakhali staged a massive protest on Monday, blocking roads and rail lines from 11 am to 4 pm to demand the conversion of Titumir College into a university. After a two-hour pause, the protesters regrouped in front of the campus at 6 pm. By 9 pm, they announced a new protest plan before lifting the blockade on the Mohakhali-Gulshan connecting road.
In response to the unrest, a heavy police presence was deployed in Amtoli and surrounding areas on Tuesday morning. Army personnel were also visible along the route from Rawa Club to the Mohakhali Rail Gate, while police were stationed near the rail line to maintain order.
"Large numbers of police were deployed on campus early in the morning, but after facing mounting student protests, they withdrew around 12:45 pm and stationed themselves outside the main gate," said a faculty member from the college’s Department of English.
“We have boycotted classes and examinations and are holding a ‘shutdown’ on campus today. However, we have no plans to block roads or rail lines,” the student representative added.
Rasel Sarwar, Chief of Banani Police Station, explained that the increased police presence was in response to the disruptions caused by Monday’s protest, which led to significant public inconvenience.
“We have deployed adequate personnel,” said Rasel Sarwar, Chief of Banani Police Station. “Under no circumstances will students be allowed to take to the streets, and police will take action if they attempt to block any roads.”
Titumir College Principal Shipra Rani Mondal was not issuing statements to the media.
Aminul Islam, a student from the Department of Mathematics, addressed the media on Monday.
“Starting Tuesday, there will be no classes or exams on the Titumir College campus. We are declaring an indefinite ‘shutdown’ from today, and no academic activities will be held”, he said.
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Students at Government Titumir College in Dhaka’s Mohakhali have launched a boycott of classes and examinations to protest the heavy police presence on campus.
On Tuesday, as tensions rose, the police initially entered the campus but withdrew after facing student opposition, instead positioning themselves outside the main gate.
Authorities have stated that they will not permit students to take their protest to the streets, while the students have clarified that their demonstration is limited to a campus-wide ‘shutdown’ and does not involve blocking roads or rail lines, as seen in previous protests.
Hundreds of students in Mohakhali staged a massive protest on Monday, blocking roads and rail lines from 11 am to 4 pm to demand the conversion of Titumir College into a university. After a two-hour pause, the protesters regrouped in front of the campus at 6 pm. By 9 pm, they announced a new protest plan before lifting the blockade on the Mohakhali-Gulshan connecting road.
In response to the unrest, a heavy police presence was deployed in Amtoli and surrounding areas on Tuesday morning. Army personnel were also visible along the route from Rawa Club to the Mohakhali Rail Gate, while police were stationed near the rail line to maintain order.
"Large numbers of police were deployed on campus early in the morning, but after facing mounting student protests, they withdrew around 12:45 pm and stationed themselves outside the main gate," said a faculty member from the college’s Department of English.
“We have boycotted classes and examinations and are holding a ‘shutdown’ on campus today. However, we have no plans to block roads or rail lines,” the student representative added.
Rasel Sarwar, Chief of Banani Police Station, explained that the increased police presence was in response to the disruptions caused by Monday’s protest, which led to significant public inconvenience.
“We have deployed adequate personnel,” said Rasel Sarwar, Chief of Banani Police Station. “Under no circumstances will students be allowed to take to the streets, and police will take action if they attempt to block any roads.”
Titumir College Principal Shipra Rani Mondal was not issuing statements to the media.
Aminul Islam, a student from the Department of Mathematics, addressed the media on Monday.
“Starting Tuesday, there will be no classes or exams on the Titumir College campus. We are declaring an indefinite ‘shutdown’ from today, and no academic activities will be held”, he said.
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