ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY: Students of applied science and technology faculty continued their demonstration till Wednesday (April 24) noon demanding engineering technology degree under their respective faculties.

At one stage of their demonstration, with the help of University administration, police detained 22 protesting students from in front of MA Wazed Miah Science Building around 4:00am. 

The detainees are being interrogated at Kushtia Sadar Police Station, Ratan Sheikh, officer-in-charge of IU Police Station, told Banglanews. 

Earlier Tuesday (April 23), they started their hunger strike in front of MA Wazed Miah Science Building around 11:00am boycotting their classes and examinations demanding engineering technology degree under their respective faculties. 

At one stage, the angry students locked the dean office. Dean D Momtazul Islam and student adviser Dr Presh Chandra Barmon went to the office around 9pm to rescue the confined officials. But students locked the main gate of the faculty leaving confined the dean and student adviser. 

Despite repeated attempt to talk with demonstrating students to rescue the confined dean and officials, university administration and police failed to calm down them. 

Later, Proctor Anisur Rahman along with two other professors, officers of police and Rapid Action Battalion went to the spot and rescued the confined persons by breaking the lock of the gate. Being protested by demonstrators, police detained 22 of them around 4:30m.

Then, the administration has imposed section 144 on Wednesday (April 24) to prevent the movement of students. Since morning, the university has issued restrictions on bringing out all kind of procession, holding rally, and students' asked to carry out identity card full-time.

Besides, the administration has halted plying on the buses, carrying students from Kushtia-Jhenaidah, to control the situation of the campus. Buses carrying teachers, officials come to the campus in the morning but student buses did not come to the campus. Besides, it is also learned that no students are being allowed to leave the student halls. 

In these circumstances, the classes and examinations of different departments of the university remained halted.

IU vice-chancellor Abdur Rashid Askari told reporters that the students might have been guided by vested quarters. We are trying to unearth the motive with the help of police.

However, protesting the detention of the fellow students and demanding release of them, demonstrating students took position in front of the administration building since 10am ignoring administration's directives. 

BDST: 1351 HRS, APR 24, 2019
RS/SMS