Bhasani University in Tangail
Agitation to rename degree on
Students of Biotechnology and Engineering (BGE) Department at Maolana Bhasani University of Science and Technology in Tangail form a human chain in front of Tangail press club in the town yesterday demanding BSc (Engineering) degree in place of BSc (Honours) degree.Photo: STAR
Students of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (BGE) Department at Maolana Bhasani University of Science and Technology (MBUST) yesterday continued agitation demanding BSc (Engineering) degree in place of BSc (Honours) degree. To press the demand, the 250 students of the department formed a human chain in front of the Tangail Press Club in the town yesterday. As the university authorities banned all kinds of agitation programme including procession, rally or human chain on the campus, the students formed the human chain in the town taking verbal permission from the police administration . To realise their demand the students have been boycotting their classes and examinations since July 20. They placed their demand before the university authorities including vice-chancellor, registrar, and teachers of the department. Earlier, they held token hunger strikes, human chains on the campus, gave memorandum to the university authorities including the department teachers to realise their demand. Agitating BGE students told this correspondent that they want BSc (Engineering) degree as it is needed to participate in the BCS (Bangladesh Civil Service) examination under the PSC's (Public Service Commission) engineering quota in place of general quota for keeping themselves in the job race. The universities in Japan, Malaysia, America, Switzerland and many other countries confer engineering degree on the BGE/GEB students, they said. The students said although the University Grants Commission (UGC) has already decided to give the BGE/GE students BSc (Engineering) degree in place of BSc (Honours) degree, the decision could not be implemented due to shortage of teachers and indifference of the department teachers. They also alleged that several teachers of the department, who have come from other disciplines (departments), are against the move to turn it into engineering department. Teachers of the BGE department, however, told this correspondent that they always want welfare of the students. They said the department teachers, following discussion among themselves and with teachers of other universities, have realised that renaming of degree will not bring good to the BGE students. They also said as the students continued agitation, the academic committee of the BGE department held an urgent meeting and decided to take opinion of the chairmen of the BGE/GEB departments of the all public universities in the country. It was decided at the meeting that on getting the opinions, the committee of the department would send its opinions to the Academic Council as quickly as possible, said Imam Hasan, head of the BGE department. The teachers said as the matter is under process they urged the students to patient and return to their classes. The students, however, alleged that the teachers of the department are intentionally delaying the matter. The 250 students of the department will not return to classes till a positive announcement in this regard, they said. Contacted, Prof Mohammad Moniruzzaman, pro vice-chancellor of the university, told The Daily Star that the matter is still under process and the university Regent Board will take the final decision. Before that the matter will go to the Academic Council and deans of the faculties, he said. “The agitating students should return to their classes for the greater interest and proper academic atmosphere of the university,” he added.
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