The resident students of Bangladesh-Kuwait Maitree Hall of Dhaka University have staged a sit-in in front of the vice-chancellor's (VC) house demanding the resignation of their provost. They gathered in front of the VC's house around 9.30pm Thursday to protest "irregularities in seat allocation, lack of emergency facilities, poor quality of food in the canteen, student harassment, inadequate water filters and cooking facilities." The agitating students demanded the resignation of Hall Provost Nazmun Nahar, professor of the Department of Geography and Environment, saying: "She does not care about the students and is always busy with her personal affairs." Preferring anonymity, one of the protesting students said, "The hall provost has been involved in many irregularities. It takes a minimum of 15 days for us to get a document signed by the hall provost even if it is urgent. She takes Tk4,000 from every student every year to allocate seats although it is not allowed by the university regulations." At one stage, four protesting students went to the VC's house to express their grievances. DU Proctor Professor AKM Golam Rabbani said: "The students shared their sufferings and problems with us. They have some valid demands and points. We will try to resolve the issues through discussion." After the meeting, the students returned to their dormitory at around 11:45pm. However, Provost Nazmun Nahar could not be reached for comments despite repeated attempts. Read more: DU punishes 114 students    

Young and promising theatre troupe Batighar staged the fourth show of its new play 'Monkey Trial' at National Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) on Thursday. Directed and staged by Sanjoy Sarker Muktnil, the play is based on Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lee’s 'Inherit the Wind' fictionalising the 1925 'Scopes Monkey Trial', an American legal case. The storyline of the play showcases the trial of Bertram "Bert" Cates, a science teacher at a public school in Hillsboro, Tennessee, who was convicted of ignoring the 1925 Butler Act and teaching students Darwin's theory of theism and evolution in his class. READ: Theatre activists celebrate World Theatre Day at BSA Known in its days as 'The Trial of the Century', later as the 'Monkey Trial', the Scopes trial pitted two famous lawyers against one another -- three-time presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan for the prosecution and renowned attorney Clarence Darrow for the defence. The Butler Act was originally passed by the Tennessee Legislature in March 1925, declaring the teaching of any doctrine that denies divine creation illegal. The case was widely reported in the media and caught the attention of the whole world. The judicial process sparked a national debate over the truth of evolution, helping to bring scientific evidence to the public's attention.  Such debates continue today across the world, and very recently Hridoy Chandra Mandal, a science teacher at Binodpur Ramkumar High School in Munshiganj, was sent to jail and later released on April 11 after spending 19 days behind bars on charges of "hurting religious sentiments". Batighar’s 'Monkey Trial' was first staged on December 31, 2021, at BSA’s experimental theatre hall.

Dhaka University's Bijoy Ekattor hall has expelled six students for life on charges of beating up two fellow students in the hall premises. The expelled students are Masfi-Ur Rahman, a 2nd year student of Social Welfare and Research Institute, Shofiullah Sumon of Criminology department, Naimur Rashid, a 3rd year student of Mass Communication and Journalism department, Sabbir Al Hasan Qaium, 3rd year student of department of Management, Mohammad Firoz Alom Opi, 2nd year student of MIS department and Abdullah Al Maruf, a 2nd year student of Islamic History and Culture department. READ: Two students beaten up at DU hall A notice in this regard signed by the hall provost Prof. Dr Abdul Basir was issued on Monday afternoon. All the expelled are activists Bangladesh Chhatra League  and followers of Bijoy Ekattor hall BCL president Sajibur Rahman Sajib. Earlier on March 26, two students were injured in a group attack in their room (Padma 2010).

Residential students of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) staged a protest on Thursday night, demanding the resignation of the Begum Sirajunnesa Chowdhury Hall provost. Around 8pm, the students of the female dormitory called on provost Zafrin Ahmed Liza to apprise her of their problems about accommodation. But the students alleged that the hall provost misbehaved with them. The agitated students immediately staged a protest at the hall and then outside the official residence of SUST Vice-Chancellor, demanding provost Zafrin’s resignation and public apology, as well as resolution of their long-standing issues. Also read: Another Qwwali programme held at TSC to protest attack

Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University (MBSTU) authorities have withdrawn a notice for female married students to vacate their halls of residence. After the students demanded cancellation of the notice, provost of Alema Khatun Bhashani Hall Dr Roksana Haque Rimi withdrew it. According to the university sources, Alema Khatun Bhashani Hall has 248 seats. After the lockdown was eased and the varsity reopened, more students than ever before applied for seats at the dorm. On December 11 the provost issued a notice asking the married students to leave the dorm within January 30. READ: 52 MBSTU teachers withdraw resignation; 5 BCL leaders suspended As the notice created confusion and uncertainty among the students, another notice on Monday evening was issued. Vice-chancellor (VC) Dr ARM Solaiman said according to the varsity laws it is restricted for married students to stay at the dorms but considering various facts this law is no more in use. The previous notice was given in accordance to the law but as the resident students reacted over the notice, it was withdrawn, the VC said. READ: 52 MBSTU teachers resign from admin posts