'Forced' pvt coaching, fee hike spark protest at Pabna polytech
Four students expelled for rampage on campus
The authorities of Pabna Polytechnic Institute yesterday temporarily expelled four students of the institute in connection with rampage on Sunday when the agitated students ransacked three rooms of the institution and assaulted a teacher protesting 'exorbitant rise' in private tuition fees.
Later police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control.
“On Sunday, some unruly students assaulted Md Moniruzzaman, a teacher of the institution, and ransacked the doors, windows and furniture of three rooms of the institution without any reason. We have identified four of them and decided to expel them from the institution till completion of the investigation about the incident,” Md Shahjahan Ali, principal of Pabna Polytechnic Institute, told this correspondent yesterday.
Protesting the assault on a colleague, teachers of the institution boycotted their classes yesterday. The college authority also submitted a complaint against them with Pabna police station yesterday.
The temporarily expelled students are Md Sajal of electrical department, Md Hafiz of power department, Md Russel of construction department and Md Mejbah of civil engineering department.
Talking to this correspondent, several students claimed that a few teachers of the institution forced the students to get private coaching from them.
The fees for private tuition was Tk 400 to 500 last year but recently it has been raised to Tk 800 to one thousand, much to the grievance of the students, said a student of power department.
“On January 16, the students of all departments submitted an application to the principal about this matter but no step was taken. Later when the students went to talk to the teachers about the issue they misbehaved with the students, sparking the demonstration on Sunday,” he said.
The agitating students also denied the allegation of assaulting the teacher.
Asked about the matter, Principal Shahjahan Ali said, “Following the demand of students we held a meeting with the heads of all departments of the institution last week. In the meeting I instructed the departmental heads to ensure holding regular classes by teachers instead of engaging in private teaching practice.”
“Process is on to file a case. Police will investigate the matter,” said Pabna police station Officer in Charge Md Enayet Uddin.
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