United News of Bangladesh

Jahangirnagar University Vice Chancellor Professor Nurul Alam, has resigned. JU Registrar (acting), Dr A B M Azizur Rahman confirmed the matter on Wednesday

The Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations scheduled to be resumed from August 11 have again been postponed on unavoidable grounds, the authorities said on Wednesday. A media release, signed by Syed A.Z. Morshed Ali, deputy secretary of the Secondary and Higher Secondary Division under the Ministry of Education, confirmed this. The release said the schedules for holding the postponed exams will be informed later. Earlier on Tuesday, Chairman of Dhaka Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board Prof Tapan Kumar Sarkar said it would be known today (Wednesday) when the exams could be resumed. The Ministry of Education postponed the HSC and equivalent exams due to unrest in the country over the quota reform movement which later turned violent.

All offices at Khulna University opened from 9 am on Wednesday. The dormitories also opened at 9 am for residential students. Furthermore, classes, exams, and other academic activities will resume as soon as possible. These decisions were made in an emergency meeting of the syndicate held yesterday, chaired by Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Mahmud Hossain. Meanwhile, the dormitories at Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) were reopened on Tuesday evening. The institutions were shut down amid student protest for quota reforms.

The Vice-Chancellor of the Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, prof. Dr, Md Farhad Hossain and five others of the university resigned from their posts on Monday night. Those who resigned are—university proctor Prof. Dr Md Musa Mia, Provost of Bangabandhu Hall Prof. Dr. Nurul Islam, provost of Zahanara Imam hall Dr Nargis Akter, and provost of Sheikh Russel Hall Prof. Dr. Md Idris Ali and deputy-director of Students Welfare Advisory Centre Dr Foyjun Nahar Meem. The resignation letters of the VC and five others were received on Tuesday morning, said university registrar Touhidul Islam. All of them left the university campus in the night.

The decision on holding the rest of the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations will be taken on Wednesday. The suspended HSC and equivalent examination were scheduled to resume from August 11. “But whether the examinations will be held as per the schedule will be known tomorrow,” Prof Tapan Kumar Sarkar, chairman of Dhaka Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board told UNB on Tuesday. HSC, equivalent exams postponed till Aug 10 A number of examination centres were damaged and those need to be repaired and the authorities concerned are considering the overall situation, he said.  

Expressing their heartfelt solidarity with the students, their families, and all those affected by the tragic events, the faculty members of Brac University said the present crisis must be addressed through meaningful dialogue, followed by effective action to restore stability and justice. “We are also seriously troubled by the disruption of academic life of students and alarmed by the long-term impact on students, educational institutions and the nation,” said the teachers in a statement on Saturday. A total of 626 faculty members of Brac University from all departments and institutes in the “statement of solidarity” said they are deeply shocked by the recent violence that has led to serious injury and tragic loss of lives. “These constitute grave injustice that cannot be ignored, and those responsible must be held accountable for their actions,” they said. As educators committed to fostering a just, democratic and inclusive society, they said they stand by the rights of students to peaceful and legitimate protest.   “We are deeply concerned that this right has not been respected and profoundly disturbed by the ongoing harassment that many students continue to face,” according to the statement sent by BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD), Brac University.

All government primary schools across the country were scheduled to open on Sunday. However, it has been decided that primary schools will remain closed until further instructions. Mahbubur Rahman Tuhin, Senior Information Officer of the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, confirmed the development. Earlier, the ministry closed all primary schools on July 16 due to violence centering the quota reform protests.

The Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent exams have been postponed until August 10. Prof Tapan Kumar Sarkar, chairman of the Inter-Education Board Coordination Committee and also of the Dhaka Education Board confirmed the information on Thursday morning. The exams scheduled for August 4-8 will not be held and the postponed examinations will start from the August 11 as the new schedule, said Tapan Kumar Sarkar. Primary schools to reopen Sunday, to remain shut in 12 city corporations, Narsingdi municipalities   The new schedule of the examinations will be informed later through notification. Earlier, the government decided to suspend HSC and equivalent exams on July 28, 29, 31, and August 1 due to the ongoing unrest related to the quota reform movement.

All primary schools under the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, except those in 12 city corporations and Narsingdi municipalities will reopen on Sunday. Children Welfare Primary Schools run by Children Welfare Trust and learning centres under Non-formal Education Bureau will open, according to the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education. The notification also states that during the ongoing curfew, district education officers will be able to coordinate class schedules based on local situation in their respective districts. All government primary schools under eight city corporation areas of the country were declared closed for an indefinite period considering the students on July 17 amid tension over students’ demonstrations for quota reform.

Using satire to shine a light on the silent role of many teachers during the students' quota reform movement, Jagannath University (JnU) students issued a satirical job posting, calling for 'teachers with spines' to replace those who failed to stand by the students even as hundreds were killed. The JnU students in their endeavour follow in the footsteps of their fellows at Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet and Jahangirnagar University in Savar. The backlash intensified after teachers from Dhaka University, Jahangirnagar University, and Rajshahi University came out and expressed solidarity with the protesting students on Tuesday, highlighting the continued silence of JnU teachers that already prompted a surge of criticism on social media. On Tuesday, a student named Sabbir Rahman posted a picture on Facebook of Jahangirnagar University teachers wearing red clothes on their foreheads and mouths, captioning it with praise for them as "true teachers." In contrast, he wished for the spiritual forgiveness of all "spineless" teachers at Jagannath University. Another student, Naima Akter Rita, wrote, "I despise any teacher, intellectual, poet, or clerk who does not openly seek justice for this killing." Taimur Mubin, a student of the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, wrote, "I pray for the spiritual forgiveness of the teachers at my university." Ishrat Zerin Payel, another student, questioned whether the teachers who previously claimed to be student-friendly could meet their eyes when the campus reopens. Meanwhile, frustrated students created a mock 'emergency recruitment notice' using the university's official letterhead, humorously stating that an urgent meeting of the syndicate decided to recruit teachers with spines. The notice read, "Due to the insufficient number of spine-bearing, student-friendly teachers, we urgently need such teachers. A lower CGPA is acceptable, but they must have a conscience and a spine." Regarding this matter, Sheikh Mashrik Hasan, General Secretary of the Teachers' Association, said, "I am aware that many teachers have personally spoken out in support of the students. We support the demands of the protesting students. I believe their primary demand has already been met, and their other demands are being addressed. Therefore, the movement should be concluded. Moreover, the Teachers' Association will stand by the injured and legally-troubled students." Professor Dr. Md. Momin Uddin, Acting President of the Teachers' Association, commented, "At DU and JU, teachers conducted silent protests on their own initiative. Before organizing such programs, the Teachers' Association needs to hold a meeting for approval. However, we have no objection if any teacher at Jagannath University conducts such initiatives personally."