United News of Bangladesh

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has announced a closure of all public and private universities until further notice considering the issue of students' safety against the background of the quota reform movement. A press release, signed by UGC secretary Dr Ferdous Zaman, said academic activities of all public, private universities, medical, textile, engineering colleges affiliated to the university and other colleges will remain shut until further notice. The UGC has taken the move in line with the Education Ministry’s decision, said the release. Moreover, the students have been ordered to vacate the halls of residence, it reads. The UGC has made the decision hours after at least six people died and scores sustained injuries in clashes between the quota protesters, police and Chhatra League members across the country.

Quota reform activists at Jahangirnagar University were subjected to violent attacks by the university's Chhatra League unit, in a night of violence, mayhem and seesawing tensions, although it may have eventually ended much better than it looked at one point for the protesters. The JU campus had been tense all day throughout Monday, with Chhatra League activists bringing in outsiders, leading to clashes between general students and the police, and turning the campus into a battlefield. More than 50 individuals, including a teacher, were injured after activists of the ruling party student front attacked a gathering of the quota reform protesters in the evening.  

Around 250 quota protesters have been injured in clash with Bangladesh Chhatra League activists at Dhaka University campus, students and hospital sources say. The attack and counter-attack started around 2:15 pm, when a group of quota protesters went to “Hall Para” of Dhaka University from the Raju Sculpture to gather students for their rally. Chhatra League leaders refer to footages of “vandalism” at DU hall by quota protesters When students supporting quota reform went near Bijoy Ekattor Hall of Dhaka University, some BCL leaders prevented them. Quota protesters then attacked and vandalizd the glasses and threw stones toward Bijoy Ekattor Hall.

Provost of Bishwakabi Rabindranath Tagore of Jahangirnagar University resigned from the post  following an attack on quota protestors allegedly by Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) activists in the early hours on Monday. Students of the university who are staging demonstrations demanding reform of quota system alleged that the leaders and workers of Chhatra League prevented four residents of the dormitory from joining an anti-quota procession that started at 11:30 pm and checked their mobile phones in the presence of the provost of the hall Professor Nazmul Hasan Talukder.  Quota reform: Students march towards Bangabhaban defying police obstruction The protestors were parading the halls of the university with a protest procession and when they were passing the road adjacent to the Rabindranath Tagore hall of the university some BCL leaders attacked the protesters, leaving at least five of the agitators injured, they alleged. The injured included Ahsan Labib, Sohagi Samia, Tauhid Siam and Mehrab Sifat. A security personnel was reportedly injured in the attack. Among them, Ahsan Labib has been sent to University Medical Center while Sohagi Samia has been sent to Enam Medical College Hospital for primary treatment. Quota protesters’ demands contradict constitution and state principles: Quader After the incident,  Vice Chancellor (Education) Mustafa Firoz and some teachers on behalf of the administration came to visit the spot. Meanwhile, the Vice-Chancellor assured to take appropriate action through investigation and assured that he will sit with the protesting students at 11 am.

Students calling for the reform of the quota system in public service marched towards Bangabhaban removing police barricade at Gulistan in the capital on Sunday afternoon. Students from different universities including Dhaka University, Jagannath University, affiliated colleges and other educational institutions started the march from Dhaka University's central library around 12:10 pm. They observed a sit-in at GPO intersection on the way to Bangabhaban and then removed the police barricade there. BCL starts Policy Advocacy and Door to Door campaign to get “students' views on quota” A delegation of students will meet President Mohammed Shahabuddin to submit a memorendum , said Hasnat Abdullah, a coordinator of the anti-quota movement. The memorandum will call for an emergency parliamentary session to address what they describe as "quota discrimination" through new legislation or executive orders. The protesters also demanded the withdrawal of a case filed by a police officer, giving a 24-hour ultimatum and denouncing the case as “false and fabricated.” These announcements were made under the banner of the “Anti-Discrimination Student Movement” during a press conference held at Dhaka University's central library around 6 pm on Saturday. In addition to the Dhaka’s march programme, students outside the capital will submit memorandums to the President through their respective deputy commissioners (DCs).

Introducing a new Olympiad event in Bangladesh, Glenrich International School has recently organized the ‘GlenQuest Olympiads 2024’, a first-of-its-kind event for young minds passionate about Mathematics and English. More than 500 students from various schools in Dhaka participated in the event with a learning spirit, according to a press release. Winners of the Olympiad received certificates, prizes and other special gifts. Tailored especially for Pre-Primary and Primary students, the adventure-filled Olympiad event was held at Glenrich International School, Satarkul, and Glenrich International School, Uttara, Senior Campus (formerly DPS STS School Dhaka). Competitive tests, popularly known as Olympiads, have long been recognized as a powerful tool for identifying and nurturing academic excellence among students; these subject-specific competitions reveal the students’ true potential, challenging them to push the boundaries of their knowledge and problem-solving abilities. Held at both national and international levels, Olympiads give students a tremendous confidence boost and motivate them to strive for greater heights. The Mathematics section of the Olympiad challenged students to delve deep into mathematical knowledge and think strategically, while the English part of the Olympiad assessed their reading grasp, language application, and creative writing skills. The event also created a strong foundation of mental skills like analytical thinking, logical reasoning, and comprehension. By participating in this Olympiad, students not only developed their academic skills but also enhanced their mental agility, problem-solving abilities, and critical thinking, and this unique event provided a platform for students to showcase their talents, compete with peers, and learn from each other's strengths and weaknesses, as well as a testament to Glenrich’s commitment to providing a holistic education that prepares students for future challenges, according to the organizers.

Bangladesh Chhatra League has started a 'Policy Advocacy' and 'Door to Door' campaign to understand what “general students think about quotas and what they want.” This information was shared in a press release signed by Chhatra League President Saddam Hossain and General Secretary Sheikh Wali Asif Inan. BCL will distribute leaflets containing various information, adopt rational methods through open discussions, and avoid programmes that cause public inconvenience, it said. Quota protests: Chhatra League urges students to return to class This step was taken to ensure an acceptable resolution of the existing situation, a logical solution, avoiding public inconvenience, and protecting the academic environment of educational institutions through interaction, discussion, and taking opinions from students, the release said. Govt making evil effort to divert students’ anti-quota movement: Abbas The called on students to send any opinions in writing to the central office of the Bangladesh Student League (23, Bangabandhu Avenue) or via email at [email protected] for a logical and positive resolution of the current situation, added the release. To inform general students about this initiative, BCL called for a press conference at 5 PM on Saturday at Madhur Canteen of Dhaka University. Quota protesters’ demands contradict constitution and state principles: Quader

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader today said that the demands and statements of the quota protesters contradict the constitution and the fundamental principles of state governance. He asserted that the law regarding the quota system will proceed in its own pace. Quader made these remarks during a briefing at the Awami League President's office in Dhanmondi this afternoon. He emphasized the necessity of the quota system in the current context of the country, pointing out that a conspiratorial group is attempting to exploit the quota reform movement for their own gain. Anti-quota protesters announce nationwide rallies on Friday “The absence of a quota system in recent years led to disappointing participation rates among women and marginalized communities,” Quader remarked. He further highlighted that Bangladesh has one of the lowest quota percentages for recruitment in South Asia, citing that India has 60%, Pakistan 92.5%, Nepal 45%, and Sri Lanka 50% in public sector jobs and 60% in university admissions. Prior to the press briefing, Quader met with representatives from university faculties who are protesting for pension reforms. The meeting included 13 teacher representatives led by Akhtarul Islam, President of the Bangladesh University Teachers Association Federation, and General Secretary Professor Nizamul Haque Bhuiyan. Quader assured that the teachers’ other demands would be resolved through discussions. JnU students stage demo demanding justice against police brutality on quota protesters Additionally, Quader addressed the ongoing flood crisis affecting approximately 2 million people across 15 districts. He noted that Awami League representatives and activists are actively assisting alongside the government to support the flood victims. The briefing was attended by other Awami League leaders including Joint General Secretaries Mahbubul Alam Hanif and AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Organizational Secretaries BM Mozammel Haque, Mirza Azam, and Afzal Hossain, Sujit Roy Nandi, Office Secretary Biplab Barua, Deputy Minister for Education Shamsunnahar Chapa, and Prime Minister's Advisor on Education and Culture, poet Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury.

Awami League General Secretary  Obaidul Quader on Saturday said the university teachers will make their decision over to he ongoing strike after their organizational meeting. Quader, also the Road Transport and Bridges Minister, said this after a meeting with the public university teachers, aiming to end the stalemate in universities due to their indefinite strike that started on July 1 protesting Prattay pension scheme. The meeting was held at Awami League’s Dhanmondi office. Quader said he requested the teachers' delegation to withdraw their strike and clarified them that the scheme will become effective from July 1, 2025. “The Prime Minister’s information in Parliament that the scheme will start from 2024 was wrong, the pension scheme starts from July 1, 2025. We have clarified this,” he said. "We have discussed our three points of demand. We will talk to the media after discussing with the Teachers' Federation," said Dr. Md. Nizamul Haque Bhuiyan, Secretary General of Federation of Bangladesh University Teachers Association. Awami League Joint General Secretaries Mahbubul Alam Hanif and AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Office Secretary Barrister Biplab Barua and State Minister for Education Shamsunnahar Chapa were present at the meeting. Prime Minister's Education and Cultural Affairs Adviser Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury was also present. Earlier, the teachers’ meeting with Quader was postponed on July 4.

Students from Jagannath University staged a protest rally in response to what they claimed was "police brutality" against students nationwide during the ‘Bangla Blockade’ on Thursday. They joined this rally spontaneously even on holiday, calling for the abolition of all unjustifiable quotas in government jobs. The demonstration began in the afternoon in front of the university’s Arts Building. The students marched from the campus, circling Victoria Park, and then gathered at the main gate of the campus. The protest caused huge traffic disruptions in the Sadarghat area. During the rally, students chanted slogans such as, “Quota or Merit, Merit Merit,” “Why the Brutality at Comilla University ? We Want Answers!” and “Spread the News Across Bangla, bury the Quota System!” Zakaria Islam, a student of the mathematics department of the university, stated, “We will continue our movement on the streets until our demands are met. We will not leave until the government abolishes all forms of unjustifiable quotas and enacts a law in Parliament to ensure that quotas are only used for the underprivileged communities as specified in the Constitution.” Masud Rana, a student of the Physics department, said, “We are protesting for a legit cause, the abolition of all unjustifiable quotas in government jobs. However, we have witnessed violence against our fellows at various universities during the peaceful protest. We demand that those responsible for these attacks be quickly identified and brought to justice.” The students of Dhaka University also held a protest rally and blocked the Shahbagh crossing on Friday afternoon. Abu Baker Majumdar, one of the key organisers of the protests, said they will announce the next programme in their movement on Saturday.