Leaders of the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) on Tuesday evening staged a sit-in and laid siege to the university’s Senate Building during a syndicate meeting, demanding a transparent and student-friendly policy for allocating residential hall seats.
The protest began around 6:30pm, with DUCSU leaders and activists gathering outside the building while the syndicate meeting was underway. They chanted slogans against what they described as a controversial seat allocation policy and demanded measures to prevent the return of the “Guestroom” and “Gonoroom” culture in university halls.
DUCSU Student Transport Secretary Asif Abdullah alleged that the administration is considering allowing students to retain hall seats through three opportunities for re-admission, a move he claimed will enable some students to remain in halls for up to eight years.
"If students are allowed three re-admissions, many will remain affiliated with political organisations and never vacate their hall seats. This will eventually revive the old culture of Gonoroom and Guestrooms," he said.
"We will not allow any manipulation of the policy. Every student should be guaranteed a residential hall seat from the very first day of admission," Asif added.
During the protest, Assistant Proctor Dr Anamul Haque Sajib approached the demonstrators for discussions, but an argument broke out between him and DUCSU representatives.
Protesters responded by chanting slogans accusing the university administration of protecting attackers (the alleged attack by Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal on DUCSU leaders and journalists inside Shahbagh Police station on 24 April) and supporting the return of the “Gonoroom” culture.
At one stage, university authorities proposed that five DUCSU representatives join the Syndicate meeting. However, DUCSU Literature Secretary Mosaddek Ali Ibne Mohammad said they did not wish to enter the meeting and instead wanted Syndicate members to come outside and speak with the protesters.
Later, the university's Proctor again invited representatives to attend the meeting.
DUCSU leaders expressed willingness to participate only if representatives from the hall unions were also allowed to join. Otherwise, they demanded that the Vice-Chancellor come outside to hear their concerns.
Eventually, six representatives entered the Syndicate meeting.
Following the meeting, Asif Abdullah said they placed three demands before the university administration.
The demands include formulating a student-friendly and transparent seat allocation policy, dismissing individuals associated with the previous “fascist” regime, and ensuring a proper investigation and justice over the alleged assault on journalists and DUCSU leaders inside Shahbagh Police Station.
Asif warned that if the administration fails to meet their demands, DUCSU will launch a fresh protest from Wednesday by laying siege to the VC office.