Dhaka, Oct 12 (UNB) – Students of the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) on Saturday postponed their protests for Sunday and Monday to facilitate the entry test of the university billed for Monday.
The protesting students came up with the announcement in the afternoon after the university authorities issued notices accepting some of their demands.
They also said they will provide all sorts of cooperation to the admission-seekers and their guardians during the admission test.
“We’ve decided to ease the demonstration for two days to facilitate the admission test as the university authorities have taken steps to meet some of our 10-point demand, including a ban on organisational politics on campus,” said a spokesperson.
He, however, said they were not calling off their protest. “We’ll announce our next programme after two days,” he said.
In the five notices, signed by acting Registrar Dr Md Saidur Rahman, Buet announced a ban on organisational politics, drive against illegal occupants at residential halls and sealing off offices of student organisations on the campus.
The university also announced to introduce a web portal where students can lodge complaints about ragging. The Buet authorities said the students accused in the Abrar Fahad murder case will be expelled once the charge-sheet is submitted.
They also promised to bear the expenses of legal proceedings of the murder case and bring every floor of the dormitories under round-the-clock CCTV monitoring.
The announcements, accepting the students’ five-point demands, prompted the protesters to postpone their demonstration around 2:45pm.
The killing of Abrar Fahad, reportedly by Bangladesh Chhatra League leaders at Sher-e-Bangla Hall last week, triggered the protest.
On Friday afternoon, Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Saiful Islam acceded to the demonstrators’ demands and announced a ban on organisational student politics on the campus and suspended 19 students accused in the Abrar killing case.
But it did little to pacify the protesting students who continued demonstrations until the university issued the notices on Saturday.
