Dhaka University
BCL infighting at Shaheed Minar: 1 Injured
A city Chattra League leader was injured at the Shaheed Minar allegedly by a central BCL leader while paying homage to language heroes on Monday, witnesses said
The injured Ehsanul Haque Yasir is the former secretary of relief and disaster management of Dhaka city(south) BCL and accused Benzir Hossain Nishi is the central joint-general secretary of central Chhatra League committee.
Read: 8 hurt in BCL infighting in Ctg over offering flowers at Shaheed Minar
Benazir has been accused of hurting Ehsanul while he was going to place flowers at the Central Shaheed Minar to pay homage to language martyrs.
The incident took place in the early hours of Monday at the central Shaheed Minar. However, Benazir Hossain Nishi has denied the allegation.
Ehsanul Haque Yasir received first aid treatment at Dhaka medical college hospital.
Earlier in the morning, while placing wreaths on behalf of the hall branches of Dhaka University Chhatra League, a fight broke out among some members armed with bamboo sticks, witnesses said.
Read: DU student accuses a BCL activist of slapping him
Chhatra League leaders and activists created chaos in front of the altar. At that time the leaders and workers of Jagannath Hall and Shahidullah Hall were staying there. At that time, they were seen running towards each other with bamboo sticks used for carrying banners.
Also on Monday Chhatra League leaders and activists clashed in front of the entrance of the altar of Shaheed Minar, according to witnesses.
Int’l seminar on language in London on Monday
An international seminar on Language as a Launchpad of Liberation: Emergence of Bangladesh’ will be held in London on Monday, marking the 70th anniversary of the martyrdom of students at Dhaka University.
The seminar will be arranged at the Studio, Rich Mix, 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, London at 2pm.
Read:21st February: DU to pay glowing tributes to Language Movement heroes
Noted economist Prof Rehman Sobhan, Indian ambassador Chandrashekhar Dasgupta who is author of a recent book ‘India and Bangladesh Liberation War, BBC journalist Mark Tully who covered the 1971 War, Bangladesh’s High Commissioner in the UK Saida Muna Tasneem and Pakistani Academic Dr Ayesha Siddiqa will join seminar as the panel speakers.
Every year, 21 February is commemorated as Language Martyrs’ Day in Bangladesh as well as the United Nations’ International Mother Language Day.
On this date in 1952, police shot and killed several students at Dhaka University during a demonstration demand that Bengali is recognised as a state language of then-Pakistan.
An unauthorized open-air ‘library’ on Dhaka University campus raises eyebrows
Just across the TSC at the western entrance to Suhrawardy Udyan an open-air makeshift ‘library’ has recently sprung up raising some eyebrows.
Tanvir Hasan Saikat, a former member of Dhaka University Central Student Union(DUCSU) and Deputy Social Service Secretary of Bangladesh Chhatra League , has got no permission from the university authorities to set up a wooden shelf with about 80 books.
Just a few days ago the DU authorities evicted from the same site a number of tea stalls on grounds of keeping the place clean and get rid of unwanted gathering.
Saikat, however, defended his move saying he has done it as part of his social service, which is a part of his organisation, BCL.
"Doing social service is my organizational responsibility,” he told UNB. “think it will help us develop our reading habit and thinking power."
"This is not only a library. I will arrange debates and poem recitation programmes here. This is the little starting of my big dream", he added.
He did not mind in setting up the book corner without taking any permission from the university authorities.
READ: Route to Central Shahid Minar on 21st February
DU Vice-Chancellor Prof Akhtaruzzaman, however, welcomed Saikat’s initiative launched on February 13.
DU proctor Prof. AKM Golam Rabbani has slightly different view, Asked to comment on it he told UNB "Establishing libraries is not a bad idea but this place does not demand any library because we have Public library, central library and science library in the neighbourhood.”
“On the other hand this place is not suitable for reading too", Prof. Rabbani said adding that only a few days ago the authorities cleared the gate of Suhrawardy Udyan by removing the stalls to make the surrounding peaceful.
“The University does not allow such establishment on the campus area and the library of Saikat, set up recently at the gate of Suhrawardy Udyan, is not permitted by DU authority", he added.
"Tanbir Hasan Saikat has taken a great initiative. His move may make the place really productive. I personally appreciate his work,” said the VC.
READ: DU to resume physical classes from Feb 22
He further said “It’s a library though. It is just a practice of a new culture but if we find anything wrong or any disorder regarding this issue, we will take proper steps", he said.
Explaining his move Saikat said he cleaned the place which was being used by floating shops. “I’ve set up chairs and tables where people can sit and read books for free,” he said.
Asked what kind of response and cooperation he expects from the initiative, he said, "I started the initiative with my own funds. For all intents and purposes, I don't need any money."
The makeshift establishment, called Jhapi, contains more than 80 books in the book shelf placed in three categories: a. Bangladesh, Bangabandhu and Independence. b. Bangla Literature and c. Foreign literature.
"If anyone wants to donate books, he will be welcomed", Tanbir said.
Salman Siddiki, president of Student Front DU unit, said that at first sight it may look like a good job.
“But if you observe this more closely, you will see that it is a plan of destroying an old culture. There were tea stalls, where students used to have various types of political talks and cultural discussions together. Students from different organisations used to gather there,” he told UNB.
"As Tanbir Hasan is an activist of Chhatra league, students of other organizations may not feel encouraged to go there,” he said adding that “This is a plan of grabbing the place and they did it with the cooperation of University administration.”
DU to reopen for honours students on Feb 22
Dhaka University (DU) will resume physical classes for all honours students from February 22, with all Covid-safety protocols in place.
The honours classes will be held according to the earlier schedule, the university said in a release on Saturday.
Besides, the exams will be held physically according to the schedule, and all university offices will also reopen.
READ: DU students demand end to bullying, harassment in guestrooms
DU to resume physical classes from Feb 22
Dhaka University has decided to resume physical classes for first-year honours students from February 22.
"The classes will resume following the previous schedule," the university said in a statement Friday. Besides, all pre-scheduled exams will be held physically.
DU vice-chancellor Prof Akhtaruzzaman said, "The physical classes will be held following all Covid-safety protocols. Similarly, pre-scheduled exams will be held."
Also read: Another DU student chooses the dark path of suicide
The university will take a call on the resumption of physical classes for other students after taking stock of the Covid situation in Bangladesh, he added.
Earlier, on February 6, the university extended its online classes till February 21 amid a surge in Covid cases following a government notification.
Also read: DU goes for reducing seats for first-year undergraduate students
Row over proposed move to scrap DU's 'D' unit exams
A proposed move to scrap the 'D' unit exams of Dhaka University has not gone down well with the prestigious varsity's social sciences faculty.
The faculty members claim that they were not consulted by the higher authorities of the university on such an important matter.
According to Prof Sadeka Halim of the faculty, the Vice-Chancellor and heads of other faculties briefly discussed the issue at a deans' committee meeting in 2020.
"I don't know when discussions turned into a decision. I don't even know when the decision was taken," said the professor who had attended the meeting.
Following the 2020 meeting, Prof Sadeka, who was the then social sciences dean, held a virtual meeting with teachers of all the 16 departments of the faculty and opposed any move to cancel the exams.
Also read: DU extends online class activities till February 21
"Now, suddenly a notification was issued after the meeting of the general admission committee of the university on Monday, which means there will be no 'D' unit from the next academic session," she said.
However, V-C Professor Akhtaruzzaman denied the claim. "The decision to cancel the 'D' unit exams was taken following the due process," he said.
University documents obtained by UNB, also reveal that after the meeting of the deans' committee on 8 November, 2020, the the admissions committee subsequently recommended the cancellation of the 'D' unit exams.
Later, at the meeting of the Academic Council on 16 August 2021, it was decided to cancel the 'D' unit exams altogether.
Also read: 7 DU colleges & 3 universities to hold exams
But Prof Sadeka said, “There was no talk on the abolition of the 'D' unit exams at the Academic Council meeting. Teachers from different departments of our faculty were present at the Academic Council meeting."
Prof MM Akash, chairman of the economics department, corroborated. "Earlier, a meeting was held between the dean of the social sciences faculty and the heads of the departments, where it was decided not to scrap the exams.
Prof Sadeka said she could not move the court of law "if necessary" to keep the 'D' unit.
"The abolition of the 'D' unit exams will reduce the opportunities for higher education of humanities and commerce students", the head of the communication disorders department, Tauhida Jahan, said.
Prof Tanzim Uddin Khan of the department of international relations, said, “The decision was taken in an undemocratic way. The views of the stakeholders were not taken into account."
Khorshed Alam, an associate professor of the department of mass communication and journalism, wrote on Facebook: "Only once now! The next d unit is not gone! So how do you do all this cool stuff?"
Students of the social sciences faculty have already embarked on a protest against the decision to cancel the 'D' unit exams.
Asked, the Vice-Chancellor (education) of the university, Prof ASM Maqsood Kama, said that even "if the 'D' unit exams are scrapped, there will be an opportunity for the students to change their departments".
DU goes for reducing seats for first-year undergraduate students
The Dhaka University on Monday decided to cut down the seats for undergraduate first-year students from 2021-22 academic session, authorities said.
The tests for D Unit will also be abolished from the next academic session as part of the university’s plan to reschedule the number of seats.
The decisions were taken at a special meeting of the General Admissions Committee held at Nawab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate building.
Also read: DU extends online class activities till February 21
The decisions came considering the national and international requirements as wells as capacity and capability of Dhaka University.
DU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Md. Akhtaruzzaman presided over the meeting attended also by Pro VC (Administration) Prof. Muhammad Samad, Pro VC (Education) Prof. ASM Maqsood Kamal, Treasurer Prof. Mumtaz Uddin Ahmed, faculty deans, chairpersons and director of different institutes.
At a meeting on January 14 the Deans Committee recommended reduction of over 1,000 seats in a move aimed at optimum utilisation of the manpower of the country’s largest university and improve quality of education.
Dr. Samad said, "We have decided not to keep the D unit anymore. Today's meeting approved the decision but It will be finalized at the next Academic Council meeting.”
Also read: 7 DU colleges & 3 universities to hold exams
DU extends online class activities till February 21
The Dhaka University authority has extended its online class activities till February 21 following the notification of the Education Ministry.Earlier, on January 23, DU went to the online class from offline class till February 6 due to the rise of coronavirus cases across the country."We have to abide by the laws and regulations of the country as an Institute of this country," said DU VC prof Akhtaruzzaman said.
Read: 7 DU colleges & 3 universities to hold exams"Regular Classes will be hold on online platform but respective departments can take in-person exams and lab classes will be continued physically," he added.He also said that all the dormitories will remain open for students maintaining the Safety rules.Ongoing examinations for honor's fourth year and Masters will be continued maintaining health rules and the offices will run in a limited range from 9 am to 1 pm.END/UNB/Corr/SIS/ssk/0035
DU Chhatra League hall committees announced
After a gap of five years, the primary hall committees of the Chhatra League's Dhaka University unit have been announced.
The Central Chhatra League has declared the names of 18 hall presidents and general secretaries. Md Mehedi Hasan Shanto and Mahbubur Rahman have been nominated as the president and the general secretary, respectively, of Jatir Janak Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall.
Md Sumon Khalifa and Lutfur Rahman are, respectively, the new president and the general secretary of Kabi Jasimuddin Hall. Similarly, Azharul Islam Mamun and Johirul Islam Shanto have been nominated as the president and general secretary, respectively, of Muktizoddha Ziaur Rahman Hall.
Sajidur Rahman Sojib and Mohammad Yunus are the new president and the general secretary of Bijoy Ekattor Hall, while Mariyam Jahan Khan and Siam Rahman have been nominated as the leaders of Masterda Surya Sen Hall.
Shahidul Haque and Mohammad Hossen are, respectively, the new president and the general secretary of the Haji Mohammad Muhsin Hall committee, while Kamal Uddin Rana has been nominated as the president of Sergeant Johrul Hoque Hall and Rubel Hossen its general secretary.
On the AFR Hall committee, Riazul Islam and Munayem Shahriar Mun have been nominated as the leaders of the Chhatra League, while Kajal Das and Atnu Bormon are, respectively, the new president and the general secretary of Jagannath Hall.
Read: DU students demand end to bullying, harassment in guestrooms
Tanvir Shikdar has been nominated as the president of Salimullah Muslim Hall and Misat Sorkar as its general secretary. For Dr Mohammad Shohidullah Hall, Jahidul Islam and Sharif Ahmed Munim have been nominated as the president and the general secretary, respectively.
Similarly, Anwar Hasan Nayim and Abu Hasib Mukto have been nominated to the Fojlul Hoque Muslim Hall committee as the president and the general secretary, respectively. Enayet H Monon is the new president of Amar Ekushey hall and Emdadul Hasan Shohag its general secretary.
Atika Binte Hossen and Antora Das Pritha have been nominated as the president and general secretary, respectively, of Begum Ruqayyah Hall, while Khadija Akter Urmi and Nusrat Rubaiyat Nila are the new leaders of Shamsunnahar Hall.
For Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujib hall, Kohinur Akter Rakhi and Sanjida Yasmin have been nominated as the president and the general secretary, respectively. Rajia Sultana Kotha and Jannatul Hawa Akhi are the new president and the general secretary, respectively, of Bangladesh-Kuwait Maitree Hall, while Puja Karmakar and Rima Aktet Doli have been nominated as leaders of the Kabi Sufiya Kamal Hall committee.
"The new hall leaders have been asked to form the full committees at the earliest," general secretary of the Dhaka University Chhatra League, Saddam Hussein said.
BCL hall conference held after long 5 years
The hall conference of Dhaka University Chhatra League unit was held on Sunday after a gap of five years on TSC premises.
Amid playing of national anthem and releasing pigeons President of Dhaka University Chhatra League Sanjit Chandra Das inaugurated the conference,
A cultural session was held before the beginning of the main part of the conference.
Also read: After 5 years, BCL hall conference to be held Jan 30
Borikul Islam Badhon, former president of Bangabandhu Hall Chhatra League unit and convener of conference preparatory committee presided over the conference.