Punitive Measures Against 34
Human chain at KU, hunger strike on
Seventy students of Khulna University (KU), who began fast-unto-death on Monday demanding withdrawal of punishment imposed by the authorities on 34 students of the university in connection with April 5 incident on the campus, continued the programme for the second day yesterday.
Seven of the 70 students fell sick yesterday morning and they were given intra- venous saline by private physicians. They are Imran Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Ismat Jahan, Praggo Dipta Halder, Zakaria Jaber, Mahbub Alam and Arefin Huq.
On April 5, a few students of the university locked in an alteration with flexiload shop owner Shahnewaz over non-payment of dues. At a stage, it turned into a fierce clash between two groups forcing the authorities to shut the university indefinitely. The university reopened on Sunday after remaining shut for over two months.
Vice-Chancellor Prof Saifuddin Shah formed a seven-member committee on April 6 to probe the untoward incident. On the basis of the committee's report, the authorities on June 8 permanently expelled four students and take punitive measures against 30 others for their involvement in June 5 incident.
Those permanently expelled from the university are Abir Hossain Talukder of urban planning department, Golam Faruque of social science department, Saiful Islam Bappi of business administration department and Zakaria Jaber of architecture department.
Besides, seven students have been expelled for two years and fined Tk 15,000 each, in default, they are to face expulsion for more one year, 13 students for one year and fined Tk 15,000 each while 10 others fined Tk 15,000 each as their involvement was proved beyond doubt by the probe committee.
Apart from fast-unto-death programme, over 400 KU students yesterday formed a human chain in front of the university to press home the same demand. The hunger strikers and the participants of human chain programme jointly issued a press statement at 12:30pm. In the statement, they alleged that the vice-chancellor had declared state of emergency on the campus, imposing ban on holding cultural programme, rallies and procession.
"Our fast-unto-death will continue until the demand is met," they said.
Vice-Chancellor Prof Saifuddin Shah told this correspondent that nine out of the punished 34 students have appealed to him in writing for reconsidering the punitive action taken against them. "They have rejected my appeal to call off fast- unto-death programme for greater interest of the university," the VC said.
He hoped that the crisis would be resolved soon with active cooperation of teachers and students.
But the hunger strikers, when asked, said they did not submit any written appeal to the vice-chancellor for mercy. His action against 34 students is quite unjust, they added.
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