No holiday yet for their New Year celebrations: CU indigenous students voice frustration

Chittagong University students from the indigenous community have expressed frustration as authorities are yet to respond to their memorandum seeking holidays to celebrate their traditional New Year festivals.

Despite repeated appeals every year, no effective measures have been taken, leaving many students unable to go home and celebrate cultural festivals such as Bizu, Baisu, Sangrai, Bisu and Changkran with their families.

According to sources, more than 700 students from around 14 different ethnic communities from the Chattogram Hill Tracts are currently studying at the university.

On April 1, students submitted a memorandum to the vice-chancellor, demanding a five-day holiday during the New Year celebrations.

Jallang Enrico Kubi, a student of the Department of International Relations, said, “The vice-chancellor told us he would look into the matter. However, this is not the first time we have submitted a memorandum. We do it every year, but our demand has never been accepted.”

Vice-Chancellor Prof Mohammad Al-Forkan said although no holiday has been declared, he had asked for a list of students and their departments so that the administration could coordinate with relevant departments to reschedule or cancel exams if necessary.

“The matter is under our consideration, and even if not this year, we will try to accommodate it from next year,” the CU VC added.