C T Online Desk: 7 colleges’ students demand action against police for playing a biased role during clashes with DU students, call for removal of DU pro-VC.
Students of seven colleges affiliated with Dhaka University (DU) on Monday morning did not proceed with their road blockade programme but gave the government until 4pm to ensure justice for overnight clashes, and set up a dedicated university for the colleges.
At 12pm Monday, the students held a press conference at Dhaka College to issue their ultimatum, warning they would definitely wage strong movement to realise their demands. The students abstained from their pre-planned blockade movement, anticipating public sufferings, they claimed
On Sunday evening, an altercation erupted between the seven colleges’ students and DU administration when DU pro-VC Mamun Ahmed allegedly insulted the students. The alleged “insult” prompted huge marches from Dhaka College to DU gate, and DU students abruptly joined the fray, leading to chases and counter-chases well past midnight.
Police intervened to form a wall between the two warring groups of students and lobbed at least two sound grenades. However, students from seven colleges alleged police were biased against them, and attacked them.
In their six-point demand, they have called for DU authorities’ apology for sparking overnight clashes, removal of pro-VC Mamun, disciplinary actions against the New Market Police Station personnel following an investigation into their role in the conflict, terminating all academic and administrative ties between the seven college and DU, and publishing the framework for founding a dedicated university for the seven colleges.
They also called for DU restrictions on public roads located in and around the university, and punitive actions against alleged “vulgar” gestures made at female students from the seven colleges overnight.
