Madrassah students wreck Dhaka University VC's office

by G. C. Pramanik
October 23, 2008

http://www.weeklyblitz.net/117/madrassah-students-wreck-dhaka-university-vcs

United with the students of Arabic, Persian and Urdu departments at Dhaka University, two groups of madrassah students damaged the vice-chancellor's office on 18th October. They threatened to stop the admission process if madrassah students were not allowed for admission in eight of the departments of Dhaka University. They even threatened him of not letting the university run smoothly if they were not given admission.

Madrassah students backed by ISLAMI CHHATRA SHIBIR [student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami], went to meet the vice-chancellor of the university, with their demands.

200 mark exams in Bangla and English is required for the students to take in their secondary and higher secondary exams for university admission. While, Madrassah curriculum has 100 mark exams in Banlga and English.

Those eight departments are, 1. Public Administration 2. International Relations 3. Economics 4. Women and Gender studies 5. Linguistics 6. Mass Communications and Journalism 7. English and 8.Bangla.

The vice-chancellor informed them that admission rules were set by the departments and the deans and there was nothing for higher authorities to do anything in this case. Then, the madrassah students requested him to take up the issue at the meeting of the deans' committee. They also threatened to stop all the activities of the university if their demands were not met and said the authorities would need to bear any responsibilities for any such incidents. As soon as they came to know that the rules were not changed at the deans' meeting, they went wild and damaged the vice-chancellor's office. They smashed all the window-glass of the office, damaged furniture and attempted to break open the door of the vice-chancellor's room. The VC said, this is the most insulting incident for the university and they will not spare them. According to the VC, it was impossible for any outsiders to carry out such an attack without any patronization from within. After the incident, the University syndicate sat for an emergency and formed a committee to probe into the matter.

Condemning the attack on Vice Chancellor's office, in the evening, the progressive student's alliance brought out procession in the university campus.

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