Semester Fee Hike Sparks Protest
Students confine principal to office, boycott classes
Students of Narsingdi Weaving Training Institute yesterday confined the principal to his office room for an hour demanding withdrawal of enhanced semester fees.
They put the office under lock and key at 9.30am and opened it at the request of the teachers at 10.30am. However, they announced an indefinite class boycott till the enhanced fees are withdrawn.
On information, Narsingdi Sadar model police team went to the spot and brought the situation under control.
The agitating students said, 230 students were enrolled in different courses of the institute including 47 in four-year diploma in textile engineering course.
The students said the administration admitted them saying that the institute is run by government and realised Tk 10,000 as admission fees from each student. When they were promoted to second semester, the institute authorities issued a notice to pay another Tk 8,000 as semester fees.
The agitating students claimed that in other government institutes the semester fees for diploma in textile engineering is only Tk 1,800. So they were protesting the excessive fee collection.
The students said they met the principal and discussed the issue but the principal told them that they must pay Tk 9,000 as semester fees and other related expenses.
Ayesha Akter, a second semester diploma in textile engineering student, said it was impossible for the students like her, who come from not so well to do families, to pay such a big amount as semester fees.
Principal of the institute Matiar Rahman said, the institute is a training centre. Considering all sides, the authorities have fixed Tk 9,000 as semester fees, he added.
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