Environ sciences dept seizes floor

The environmental sciences department of Jahangirnagar University yesterday morning occupied the second floor of a building, a move they have been demanding for the last one and a half months, while two other departments retaliated by observing a sit-in before the vice chancellor's office, denying the VC entrance to it.

Early morning around 4:30am, teachers and students of the environmental sciences department unlocked the classrooms on the second floor and resumed academic activities after 37 days. The department had been demonstrating since the beginning of April demanding the authorities transfer them to the building.

However, they faced obstacles in two other departments -- computer science and engineering and geological sciences-- already housed in the building. According to them, the building is not big enough for all three departments.

The two departments around 11:00am yesterday blocked the entrance to the office of VC Prof Farzana Islam, denying her entrance to the office in protest.         

After Prof Farzana left, the demonstrators staged a sit-in before their building demanding the environmental sciences department leave it.

Meanwhile, at a press conference the environmental sciences department said they are allowed in the building, according to a syndicate decision made in April.   

After the syndicate decision, the two other departments began protesting demanding the university authorities withdraw the order. However, they withdrew after JU Teachers Association assured them of reaching a solution to the crisis.