Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University students boycott classes and exams over secretariat and trade fair on research field, uproot signboard in protest

Students of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University in the capital's Sher-e-Bangla Nagar took to protest on Tuesday against the decision to set up the secretariat on the university's old research field. Demanding the field's recovery and an end to the Asia Pacific trade fair activities there, they boycotted classes and examinations and held a protest march and sit-in.

During the programme, the students stopped the ongoing soil test work on the field. They brought two vehicles used for testing equipment and sample collection into the campus, and uprooted a signboard installed by the Public Works Department and placed it in front of the administrative building.

On Tuesday (27 October) at around 11 a.m., students from various departments brought out a protest march from in front of the university's flag stand. The march circled the administrative building and ended at the old international trade fair ground, where the students staged a sit-in and stopped the soil test work.

The protesting students said their practical education and higher agricultural research are being disrupted because the research field has not been returned. They said no outside activity or construction work would be allowed there without the university's permission, and warned of tougher programmes if effective steps are not taken to recover the field.

The students submitted a memorandum that day to Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Md Abdul Latif demanding the field's land be permanently recovered and protected in the university's name. The memorandum demanded an emergency syndicate meeting within three days to formally declare the field the university's own research field and to take the initiative to file a writ in the High Court to recover the land. It also called for the trade fair activities there to be stopped.

Protesting student Md Ashik Ahmad said the university's field is being taken away before their eyes, yet the administration shows no concern. He said the administration is being given three days; within that time it must call a syndicate meeting, announce a strong legal fight and confirm that the land belongs to the university.

Postgraduate student Wasiul Hasan Sarkar said students boycotted all postgraduate classes and examinations in solidarity with the movement.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Md Abdul Latif said the university has a committee on the trade fair ground. The committee has not yet communicated its decision on the writ; once it does, the next steps will be taken after discussion with the university's legal adviser. He also said he would sit with the committee by Tuesday or Wednesday and start work quickly in line with the decision.

However, an official in charge of the fair committee said the fair's work is proceeding with the permission of the Public Works Department. He claimed about 80 percent of the fair's work has been completed and that money has been spent and infrastructure built following the rules.

Earlier, on 15 October, teachers, students, officers and employees of the university formed a human chain in front of the National Press Club demanding the research field's recovery. The same day, a memorandum was submitted to the prime minister's office requesting the field be returned to the university. Earlier still, on 5 February 2026, the university's teachers, students, officers and employees demanded the field's return through the 'Take Back SAU Land' programme. Students had also protested in 2015 when an initiative was taken to move the secretariat to the old trade fair ground.