HALLS ON JAIL-LAND: JnU students call fresh strike for today, tomorrow

The Jagannath University students on Monday announced fresh two-day strike for today and tomorrow to press home their demand for constructing residential halls on the land of recently moved-out Dhaka Central Jail, in the old part of the city.
Raisul Islam Nayan, a student of marketing department declared the programme on behalf of the agitators on the campus around 2:00pm, ending Monday march towards the Prime Minister’s Office.
The students alleged that at least 30 students were injured as police lobbed teargas shells and used water cannons to thwart their scheduled march at Bangshal area around 9:45am.
The injured were rushed to nearby private clinics and hospitals.
However, Mohammad Ibrahim Khan, Lalbagh division deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, told New Age that police dispersed the students using water cannons and teargas canisters when the procession reached Bangshal area.
The students did not vandalise any vehicle, he said.
Boycotting their classes and examinations, hundreds of students started their demonstrations from the campus around 9:30am and headed for PMO to press home their demands for constructing residential halls.
Police tried to intercept them several places, such as, Shankhari Bazaar, Ray Shaheb Bazaar, and Tanti Bazaar area as the marchers removed barricades and advanced towards Bangshal.
They took in the Tanti Bazaar intersection and staged demonstrations until 1:45pm, forcing traffic to come to a standstill.
They also set fires on some tires on the road and chanted various slogans in favour of their demands.
Commuters faced severe difficulties as they experienced heavy traffic congestions on various streets linked with Sadarghat, the prime waterways terminal and Gulistan, a major trade and transportation hub in the city, for around four hours.
Mohammad Zafar, a traveler, who came to Dhaka from Chandpur by a launch, told New Age that he suffered much because of the road blockades and traffic congestions. He said he had been stuck for several hours.
The agitating students said they had been living at some rented houses as the authorities failed to provide them accommodations. Those houses, they said, were not safe for them.
‘We will continue our movement until our ‘rational demands are met,’ said Farjana Akter, another organiser of the movement.
JnU proctor Noor Muhammad said that the authorities wanted the students to go ahead with their movement peacefully and simultaneously attend classes and examinations.
Meanwhile, the university on August 11 wrote a letter to the government seeking permanent ownership of the former jail property.
The students have been demonstrating since August 1 in support of their demands.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net