College closed as students protest 'abrupt' fee hike
College authorities and police officials try to pacify students of Pabna Textile Engineering College yesterday during the latter's agitation programme protesting abrupt increase in session fees. Photo: STAR
Authorities of Pabna Textile Engineering College yesterday closed the institution as students went into serious agitation demanding immediate cancellation of the decision for 'abrupt and unusual' increase of session fees. The authorities asked the male students to leave their dormitories by yesterday night while female students will have to leave it by today morning. The students started their protest programme on Monday when college authorities issued a notice announcing increase of this year's session fee to Tk 4,070 from Tk 1,520 last year. The agitating students, who boycotted their examinations and kept the teachers confined to the vice principal's room for two hours yesterday, also demanded appointment of required number of teachers for the BSc course and 'subject choice facility' for the final year course. Later police rescued the teachers. Keeping the college administrative building under siege from 10:00am to 1:00pm, the agitating students chanted slogans and put posters around the campus. Pabna Textile Engineering College started the BSc course in 2006-2007 session but it is still conducted mostly with the teaching staff meant for diploma course. As there are only 4/5 teachers for 320 students in four semesters under the BSc course, often teachers from other colleges are hired to manage the classes, college sources said, adding that 65 more staffs including 28 teachers are needed for the BSc course. Earlier on several occasions, the college authority sent letters to the department concerned asking for appointment of the staff but to no effect. Asked about the abrupt increase of session fees, Shib Shankar Chakrabarti, vice principal of Pabna Textile Engineering College, said, "The principal, who has recently joined our college, fixed the fees after a meeting with the teachers.” Shib Shankar, however, admitted that the increased fees are 'too high'. "We are considering the students' demands. But they are now too agitated for any discussion," college Principal Abdul Baset Mia told this correspondent over cell phone yesterday evening. The students said they will continue their agitation until their demands are met. Meanwhile, the college will remain closed from May 30 to June 12 for summer vacation, college sources said. Police have been deployed on the campus.
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