The New Nation - Internet Edition

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Students of Barisal Brojo Mohon College continued their movement for the second-consecustive day on Sunday for upgrading the institution into a full-fledged public university.

They brought out a procession in the campus, blocked the roads by the campus area from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM and boycotted classes to press home their demand. Additional Police were deployed in the campus.

Eminent citizens and student leaders in the city, however, expressed difference with the students' demand, saying that they want a separate public university in Barisal, not upgrading BM College into a university.

They said this movement was initiated to destabilise the campus of the college with the aim of serving the interests of vested quarters. In response to the long-standing demand for a full-fledged public university, the alliance government declared on January 09, 2005 its decision to upgrade B M College into a full-fledged university.

However, later the decision was changed, as people of Barisal demanded a separate public university instead of upgrading the College. Accordingly the alliance government selected 50 acres of land in Defulia area in the city outskirt for the university project approved by Education Ministry, Engineering Department and University Grants Commission on May 7, 2006. Begum Khaled Zia, the then prime minister laid the foundation stone of that project on September 17, 2006 and ordered to appoint a project director for construction of 3 buildings at the cost of 7 crore Taka.

However, recent movement of upgrading Rangpur Carmichael College into a university and cancellation of the land acquisition order for the proposed university in Barisal instigated the vested quarters to start the movement. Dr. Mahfuzul Huq, chairman of UGC, expressed his ignorance of the issue. S M Wazed Ali, Deputy Director of UGC said that the concerned authorities had approved Barisal Public University Act but did not finalise the project proposal. After approval of the project proposal, funds would be sanctioned for its implementation, he added.

Magistrate A T M Mahbubul Karim, officer in charge of land acquisition of Barisal district administration, said that Tk.12 crore demanded as price for 50 acres of land in Defulia area was too high as per project cost.

So government is selecting alternative land at the cost of Tk.8 cores adjacent to BKSP project in Kashipur area of the city for smooth implementation of the project, he added.