The movement by Barishal University students demanding removal of Vice Chancellor (VC) Prof SM Imamul Haque continued for the seventh day on Tuesday.
The agitating students organized a rally in front of the university’s academic building, chanting slogans demandingthe VC’s removal, allegedly due to corruption and irregularities.
They vowed to continue their movement until their demand was met.
Mentioning the 48-hour ultimatum on Monday, the students warned that they would start a hunger strike if the university authorities did not pay heed to their demand.
They also submitted a memorandum to President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina through the deputy commissioner of Barishal on Monday.
In the memorandum, the students – citing 25 points of alleged corruption and irregularities by the VC – demanded apology from the VC in person for his comments against the students, and his removal from his post.
On Mar 27, the students of Barishal University began demonstrations demanding the withdrawal of an “offensive comment” made by the VC during a program marking the 49th Independence Day on the campus. The students also demanded he be removed from the VC post.
The VC allegedly referred to the students as “razakarer bachcha (the children of Pakistan’s collaborators).”
On Mar 28, the university issued a notice saying the university would remain closed for an indefinite period of time for the sake of the security of the students, teachers, and staff, as well as the state of law and order on and around the campus.
Despite the notice, students continued their protests on the campus.
On Mar 29, the VC apologized for his remark in a press release.
"Unambiguously, I want to say that I did not call the students razakarer bachcha... I only said if anyone tries to foil any program on Independence Day, he or she would be a razakarer bachcha,” the VC said in the statement.
The statement was rejected by the students.