The New Nation - Internet Edition

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Barisal Govt. B M College Authority will take steps for punishment against 21 agitated female students of Banomali Ganguly Girls Hostel for ransacking hostel office protesting increased meal charges and raids of the hostel authority in their room to seize cooking utensils.

Dr. Sirajuddin Ahmed, Principal of the college, denying, giving details said actions would be taken on the basis of the report of a 4-member inquiry committee headed by Dr. Bimol Majumdar, head of Mathematics Department.

Another source said decisions in this regard already has been approved in a meeting of the academic and disciplinary council of the college held on Thursday presided over by Begum Shamsunnahar, vice-principal and head of the disciplinary committee of the college.

In that meeting college authority decided to cancel allotment of seats of 6 female students residing in rooms Nos. 1-6 of the hostel according to the report of the investigation committee submitted on December 1.

Actions against other fifteen residential students of room no. 8-22 would be decided after their appearance with guardians before the chairmen of respective departments within December 13 for giving reply of show cause notices about their active participation and involvement in the incident.

Sardar Ali Akbor, Hostel Super, said actions would be taken according to the decisions approved by college academic and disciplinary committee on the basis of the report of the inquiry committee.

Mentionable female students of Banomali Ganguly Hostel became agitated after college authority increased charges of daily meal from Tk. 23 to Tk.30 and describing the cooking in rooms as illegal and unsafe, raided the rooms and seized cooking utensils from the students.

After the raid female students bursting in agitation started procession, threw brickbits to super's room and ransacked hostel office on early November 25 night demanding immediate resignation of the hostel super and assistant super, canceling the increased meal charge and developing standard of meal.

The college authority controlled the situation with the help of police and forming an inquiry committee ordered to submit report within four working days.

They, reviewing the overall situation, said rate of increase of meal charges was justified according to the present market price and suggested for taking strong steps to maintain discipline and proper academic atmospheres on the campus.