The New Nation - Internet Edition

DU Correspondent

A group of Dhaka University (DU) students under the banner of Bangladesh Madrasah Students Movement Council yesterday vandalised the vice-chancellor's office, as the university authority didn't lift the restriction imposed on madrasah background students not to get admission in eight departments. Witnesses said a group of students went to the VC office to meet him at around 4:00 pm while VC Prof SMA Faiz was presiding over a Dean`s meeting at his lounge.

Later, some students of the group met VC and urged him to lift the condition that was taken earlier. But the VC told them in a word as it was impossible for him to change the decision. Then they threatened VC, as they would stop the selling of admission form if the authority did not fulfil their demand.

Besides, waiting students, outside the VC office, became furious and started vandalising the office by pelting brickbats.

The angry students vandalised the windowpanes of VC office and his lounge but no one was injured during the incident.

Later the students left the place and later, police forces visited the spot.

"Around 150 to 200 students suddenly entered the VC office at around 3:45 pm and started smashing up the window panes of the office when another team of 30 t0 35 students were talking to the VC about the admission restriction", DU VC office official Munshi Shamsuddin Ahmed told reporters.

The unruly students, probably most of them having madrasah background, continued the attack on the VC office for at least five to seven minutes ransacking almost all the windowpanes including two doors, chairs and wall watches and left the place heroically, Ahmed added.

DU Proctor AK Feroze Ahmed said that they would file a case against a large number of unknown students, as the university authority couldn't identify anybody of the picketers.

The proctor asked the law enforcing agencies to tight their security measures at the TSC area, as the attackers threatened to stop issuing the first-year honours admission forms today (Sunday).

VC SMA Faiz said, the occurrence the agitators have caused was unimaginable and heinous. They have made the most scandalous chapter in the history of DU since its inception in 1921 smashing up the VC office, he said.

Faiz said who have ransacked the VC office were not eligible of being DU students, they must be arrested and awarded exemplary punishment.

In reply to a query, the VC asserted that no one of the picketers whether they were DU students or outsiders could escape the punishment, as the inspector general of police assured him of stern actions against the responsible.

Asking all concerned to be aware so that no untoward incident can take place on the campus, the VC said everything of the university should go as usual.

Till writing this report Saturday night, a syndicate meeting was going on to decide what type of actions the university authority would take against the responsible students.