Students of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) protesting the police action against them on Sunday today announced its Vice-Chancellor as unwanted on campus.

The students also rejected the notice of shutting the university for an indefinite period and direction to leave the halls during a meeting held at Gol Chattar in the campus at 1pm.

The students announced they will continue their protest staying on the campus.

Also read: SUST students now demanding VC’s resignation

From Monday morning, SUST students in protest staged demonstrations demanding the resignation of VC Farid Uddin Ahmed protesting the ‘police action on them’.

They started gathering at the campus although the university was declared closed for an indefinite period on Sunday following a clash between students and police.

They brought out a procession and chanted slogans on different roads inside the campus.

They demanded an apology from the VC over the attack and to hold him accountable for the police action.

Currently the students are staying at the campus locking the hall gates from inside and they also locked three academic buildings of the university.

Earlier, students staged a sit-in protest at the university gate till Sunday midnight protesting the university administration's instruction to leave halls and the closure of their classes.

SUST was to shut following a clash on the campus between police and protesting students on Sunday. Its students were asked to leave their dormitories by 12 pm today (Monday).

Also read: SUST shut after police-student clash, despite controversial provost's resignation

Provost of Begum Sirajunnesa Chowdhury Hall Zafrin Ahmed is at the centre of the trouble as she reportedly misbehaved with the students. She resigned from her post citing health issues.

Dr Nazia Chowdhury of the Physics department has been appointed in her place, said Farid Uddin Ahmed, the SUST Vice Chancellor.

Removal of Zafrin Ahmed, provost of the residential hall for female students, was one of the principal demands of students protesting on the campus.

Besides, at least 40 people were hurt, including teachers, students and police personnel during Sunday's clash.

The police charged batons, fired sound grenades and shotgun bullets to disperse the protest on Sunday afternoon, and students reacted by throwing brick chips at them, said the students.

 

Prof Farid Uddin Ahmed was confined to a locked room by the students during an ongoing protest on the campus.

The students of Begum Sirajunnesa Chowdhury Hall had been protesting since Thursday demanding the removal of the hall provost.

Probe body formed

The SUST authority on Sunday formed an eight-member probe body over the ongoing protest and overall situation of the university.

The committee was formed on Sunday night during an emergency syndicate meeting, making Professor Dr Md Rashed Talukder, dean of Physical Sciences Faculty, the head and Md Isfaqul Hossain, Registrar, the member secretary.

All other faculty deans and the president of the Teacher's Association of SUST were made members of the probe body.