United News of Bangladesh

A special committee has been established to provide recommendations and guidance to the university administration on the nature and extent of political activities at Dhaka University. This initiative is in response to a directive from the university’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dr Niaz Ahmad Khan, said Mohammad Rafiqul Islam, acting director of DU’s Public Relations Office. The committee will be chaired by retired Supreme Court Appellate Division Justice Md Abdul Matin. Its members include Dr. Z.N. Tahmida Begum, former Chairman of the Bangladesh Public Service Commission and retired Professor of Botany at Dhaka University; Dr. Abul Kasem Fazlul Haque, Chairman of the Bangla Academy and retired Professor of Bengali at Dhaka University; and Dr. S.M. Shamim Reza, Professor of Mass Communication and Journalism at Dhaka University. The committee also has the authority to co-opt up to three additional members if necessary.

Nahid Islam, adviser to the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology has assured to fulfill the five-point demand of Jagannath University students within the next three days. "All the demands of the students are justified. I agree with them,” he said while addressing the students after they besieged the Secretariat on Monday. JnU students besiege Secretariat "The students of Jagannath University endure a lot of hardship. They don’t have a hall. Their demand for a second campus is completely justified. I fully agree with the students' demands. We cannot provide a hall within three days, but we can hand over the second campus project to the Army. However, for that, we will have to have meetings. Within three days, we will work to transfer the new campus project to the Army,” said Nahid. Regarding an incident involving a secretary "insulting" the students at the Secretariat, he said that the secretary and others involved will apologise.

Thousands of Jagannath University (JnU) students have besieged the Secretariat to press home their five-point demand including construction of  university’s second campus by the army and increasing the university’s budget allocation. The students took position in front of the education building on Monday and later a 12-member delegation of students entered the Secretariat with a memorandum to submit it to the Education Secretary. As the Education Secretary did not meet them, the students continued their siege programme. The 12-member delegation includes their spokesperson Tausib Mahmud Sohan, organisers AKM Rakib, Raisul Islam Noyon, Asadul Islam, Abu Bakr Khan, Naushin Nawar Joya, Sohan Pramanik, Masud Rana, Nur Nabi, Omar Faruk, Ferdous Sheikh, and Apu Munshi. The students demanded that  the Project Director appointed during the autocratic regime for the conduction of 2nd campus must be brought under legal scrutiny, and within seven days, this responsibility must be handed over to army, immediate steps must be taken to acquire the remaining 11 acres of land, and all agreements regarding the old campus made during the autocratic regime must be cancelled. The demanded inclusion of Jagannath University in the recently announced pilot project by the University Grants Commission (UGC), minimum annual budget allocation of 500 crore BDT for the university. Jagannath University student Naushin Joya said, “We came to the Education Secretary with the memorandum. We were kept standing inside the iron gate and asked to send our demands through representatives. We were not allowed inside. The Secretary has conveyed that he has no time to speak with us. We will remain here until the Adviser arrives. Since we have come outside, we won’t go back. The Education Adviser must come to us.” Tausib Mahmud Sohan, said , “We entered the Secretariat with the memorandum to meet the Education Secretary. However, instead of meeting us personally, the Secretary sent a representative to speak with us. We do not accept this. Now, our demand is that the Education Adviser comes and listens to us.”

Dr Peyar Ahmed, a professor from the mathematics department of Jagannath University, has been appointed as the new vice chancellor of Chandpur Science and Technology University (CSTU). An official notice was issued in this regard by the Ministry of Education on Thursday. Dr Ahmed has held various roles at Jagannath University, including dean of the Faculty of Science, Syndicate Member, and Academic Council Member. His academic background spans over 11 universities in Bangladesh and abroad, including the International Islamic University (Dhaka Campus), Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology, and Japan's Yamagata University. Ahmed's contributions to academia include over 40 research papers published in renowned journals and several textbooks.

Some students of Dhaka University have burst into protest after Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal's (JCD), student wing of BNP, put up posters on the campus to mark the National Revolution and Solidarity Day. Students from Bijoy Ekattor Hall first brought out a protest rally at 9:30 pm on Wednesday and they were later joined by students from Muktijoddha Ziaur Rahman Hall, Kobi Jasimuddin Hall, Haji Muhammad Mohsin Hall and other dormitories. They marched across the campus protesting what they said JCD's political campaign in violation of a recent ban on student politics in the university. During the protests, students chanted slogans such as "Posters on walls, misfortune ahead," "Student politics has no place here," and "2024, no more student politics." The students stated that they would continue their protest until the university administration removed the posters put up by Chhatra Dal from the walls of halls. Protester Mir Muhammad Asif said, "Despite the campus ban on student politics, Chhatra Dal has put up posters here. They are attempting to bring back student politics in the halls. We will continue our movement to prevent this." Read: Hidden hardships students from lower middle-income families endure in public universities

Female students of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) staged demonstrations on Tuesday night demanding the cancellation of the imposed new evening curfew law that restricts their entry into the dormitories. The students held a march from several university halls, parading through various streets before gathering in front of the Vice Chancellor's residence. There, they staged a sit-in protest. The students chanted slogans, calling for an extension of the curfew hours for female students to enter the halls. The protest was triggered by a recently announced policy, signed by the provosts of the university's five women's halls, which set strict entry deadlines. Under the new guidelines, female students are required to return to the halls by 8 pm during summer and 7 pm during winter. The protestors refuted the policy, especially in light of the university’s central library, which remains open until 8 pm. "The new rule says we must return by 7 pm., but the central library remains open until 8 pm. How can we adhere to this policy?" said Janatul Fiza, a student at BAU. She alleged that women are already facing harassment on campus, and the proctorial body does nothing to stop it. Instead, they are forcing them to enter the halls earlier under the guise of safety. Moreover, the policy stipulates that students who return more than three times will lose their dormitory seat, which the students found unreasonable. "We were admitted here based on our academic merit and given seats in the dorms. How can the administration undermine our hard work with such a policy?" Fiza questioned. Another student, Adiya Sultana, expressed similar concerns, addressing the sense of insecurity among female students on campus. "Women students are experiencing discrimination when it comes to entering the halls. We are protesting for an extension of the curfew, better security measures, and to ensure a non-discriminatory environment at BAU.” BAU Proctor Prof Dr. Mohammad Abdul Alim, defended the matter saying that the policy was introduced with the safety of female students in mind. The proctorial body is working continuously to ensure the safety of students. This policy was not designed to curtail anyone's rights or freedom, he said. The administration will consider the library timing issue and discuss it in an upcoming meeting with the Vice Chancellor, the proctor said. "The policy's primary purpose is to ensure the safety of female students, and we ask the proctorial body to assist in enforcing this," he claimed. The Vice Chancellor is expected to meet with representatives from each hall early next week to discuss the issues raised by the students, the proctor continued.

The online application process for the undergraduate admission programme at Dhaka University for the academic year 2024-25 has begun. Applications will be accepted until November 25. Interested students can apply by visiting the university’s admission website at https://admission.eis.du.ac.bd. This year, the application fee is 1,050 Taka. The admission test of Fine Arts unit will be held on January 4. Besides, the exams for the Arts, Law, and Social Sciences unit will take place on January 25, the Science unit exam on February 1, and the Business Studies unit exam on February 8.

Professor Dr. Md. Nurul Islam from the Geography and Environment Department at Jahangirnagar University has been appointed as the new pro-vice-chancellor of the National University (NU). The Secondary and Higher Education Division under the Ministry of Education issued a notification to this end on Sunday. President Mohammed Shahabuddin, the chancellor of the universities, has appointed Dr. Md. Nurul Islam as the pro-vice chancellor for a term of four years. According to the notification, he will receive a salary and allowances equivalent to those of his current position. Professor Md. Nurul Islam graduated with his PhD from the University of Nottingham, UK in 2011. Earlier, he completed his BSc (honours) and MSc (thesis) in Geography from Jahangirnagar University in 1992 and 1993, respectively. Professor Islam has been in the university teaching and research profession for more than two decades.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) and Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) will jointly work on a project aimed at enhancing research and development in agriculture and food technology, climate management and strengthening higher education in agricultural fields. The project, titled Strengthening Agricultural Tertiary Education Project (SATEP), is financed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) of the Export-Import Bank of Korea (KEXIM). As part of this initiative, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the BAU and several agricultural and industrial organizations. Mohammad Toufiqul Islam, acting director of BAU’s Public Relations and Publications office, confirmed it on Sunday. BAU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr. AK Fazlul Haque Bhuiyan attended the signing ceremony, as the chief guest. Separate agreements were inked among the Bangladesh Agro-Processors' Association (BAPA), the Bangladesh Shrimp and Fish Foundation (BSFF) and Ispahani Agro Limited (IAL) at the event. VC Fazlul Haque highlighted that over the past 63 years, the dedicated faculty and researchers at BAU have consistently shared knowledge with students, leading to significant advancements in the country’s agriculture. He said that this project will play a crucial role in developing human resources and conducting modern agricultural research, thus contributing to Bangladesh’s food security. The project will establish modern laboratories that will benefit nine public universities and relevant private institutions involved in agricultural research, the VC said. He emphasized the need to align with global agricultural advancements, particularly in mechanization and technology, as the government strives to integrate these aspects into the agricultural sector in line with the fourth industrial revolution. The meeting also featured key participants such as Ryotaro Hayashi, Senior Social Sector Economist at ADB and various representatives from BAU, agricultural associations and industries. Notably, the project aims to create the "Bangladesh Instrumentation Center for Climate Change and Agricultural Research," which will focus on developing relevant curricula and providing necessary training for enhancing professional skills, while fostering connections among educators, students, farmers, and related industries.

A group of students from Dhaka University organized a protest rally on Friday at 4pm in front of the Vice-Chancellor's residence, demanding the cancellation of the affiliation of seven colleges and the construction of a new hall for female students. The protesters emphasized that both the university and the students from the affiliated colleges do not support the affiliation. They issued a 72-hour ultimatum to the university administration, warning of escalated actions—including class and exam boycotts and locking administrative buildings—if their demands are not met. Agri Sciences entry test held at SAU after overnight clashes Raihan Ferdous, co-coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, said that students from both Dhaka University and the seven colleges want the removal of the affiliation. He also noted that 53% of Dhaka University's students are female, yet they only have five residential halls. He questioned how new administrative buildings could be constructed for the 7 colleges when there is insufficient accommodation for Dhaka University students. He added that Dhaka University is an autonomous institution, and any decision regarding it should be made by the university administration and students. He insisted that they do not accept the affiliation of the 7 colleges. Nusrat Imroz, a resident student of Bangladesh Kuwait Maitree Hall of Dhaka University, shared her experience of living in a Ghonoroom for two years before finally obtaining a valid seat. She said that some master's students are still living in Gonorooms. She said that the university authorities are unable to build a new hall for students due to budget constraints, but how they could manage to construct a new administrative building for the 7 colleges. DU-affiliated college students block Nilkhet, Newmarket intersections She stated that they urgently demand the cancellation of the 7 colleges' affiliation and that any new construction built at Dhaka University should be for female students. In response to the protest, Dhaka University authorities have initiated urgent discussions with relevant advisers and high-ranking government officials, prioritizing the issue. Recognizing its public significance, the government has responded positively and agreed to hold an urgent meeting at the ministry level with the concerned students and key stakeholders, likely on the upcoming Sunday.