Students Declare Principal Unwanted, Announce Indefinite Closure of Classes and Exams Until DSHE Issues Notification

Students of Government College of Applied Human Science in the capital have declared the college's principal, Dr Meherun Nesa, unwanted on campus. They have also given a 72-hour ultimatum demanding investigation and justice over allegations of a midnight police attack on students.

The students announced this at a press conference in front of the institution's main gate at 12:15pm on Friday (6 November). Before that, they staged a demonstration occupying both sides of the road in front of the institution, during which traffic on the road from Nilakhet intersection to Azimpur bus stand came to a halt.

At the press conference the students placed two demands. The first demand said a neutral investigation committee must be formed within the next 72 hours into the alleged midnight police attack on students, and the police members and officers involved must be identified and face exemplary departmental and legal action.

In the second demand, the students said Principal Dr Meherun Nesa has been declared unwanted on behalf of all students of the college. They announced that all administrative activities, classes and examinations of the college will remain closed indefinitely until the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) issues an official government notification regarding her resignation.

At the press conference the students said tougher programmes will be announced later if the demands are not met. They also warned that the movement will continue until they receive assurance from the administration.

This was the students' second day of movement demanding the principal's resignation and a fair investigation and justice over the alleged police attack on students. After 9am on Friday the students began the movement by sitting inside the college. Later, considering candidates of a scheduled government job examination under way, they took position on the road, bringing traffic on both sides of the road in front of the college to a halt.

Protesting student Sima Akter said the students are firm on their two demands and will stay however long it takes, not just 72 hours, until the demands are met. She said the number of students in Friday's movement was comparatively low as the campus was closed, but more will join from Saturday when the campus reopens.

The movement began over the cancellation of residential hall seats of two students. Student and college administration sources said that before the Puja holiday, a farewell programme for final-year master's students of five departments from three residential halls was organised in the college auditorium. The programme was first instructed to end by 10pm, later extended to midnight on the students' request, but it ended at 5am.

For using the auditorium beyond the scheduled time, Principal Meherunnesa cancelled the residential hall seats of the two student coordinators of the programme. Angered by this, students began demonstrating in front of the principal's office from 10:30am on Thursday demanding her resignation, and at one stage confined her in her office. Police went there at around 11:30pm and rescued her.

The protesters allege that police beat students with batons while rescuing the principal, injuring several students. Sima Akter said three to four students are in hospital with baton injuries and many have baton marks on their bodies; she also claimed students were pulled down by their hair and dragged by their hands. She said students have videos and photos of these incidents. The protesters have also accused police of beating students with a hammer and pulling a female student by her hair and hijab.

The principal, on the other hand, has said what the students are saying is completely the opposite of the incident. According to her, she had permitted a programme until midnight, but the students held the programme until 5am.

Lalbagh police station Officer-in-Charge Jamil Hossain said some students have blocked the road in front of the college, but police will not obstruct them if they carry out their programme peacefully. About the previous night's incident, he said police faced obstruction from students while rescuing the principal, but claimed no force was used at that time.