Students upset as Bhasani university shut for month

10 August 2009, 17:00 PM

Our Correspondent, Tangail

The lonely campus of Maulana Bhasani University of Science and Technology at Santosh following its indefinite closure on July 11. Photo: STAR

Frustration grips around 1,700 students of Maulana Bhasani University of Science and Technology at Santosh in Tangail as the institution has remained closed for a month. Authorities on July 11 closed the university for an indefinite period after a daylong clash between the students and locals and shopkeepers of adjacent Santosh Bazar left over 50 people including students, locals, shopkeepers, police and journalists injured. Semester final examinations of the six departments of the university, scheduled to start on August 8, have been deferred due to the unstable situation, said Omar Faruque, a teacher of criminology. “A large number of the students live at messes in areas adjoining the university. They are facing an insecure situation after the clash with local people and shopkeepers," said Mohammad Zakir Hossain, a second year student of information and communication technology. The university students are also facing various problems including accommodation as the four dormitories are too inadequate for the resident students, said Ashik Mahmud, a second year student of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering Department. “Sale at my small shop declined due to closure of the university for long. We do not want any clash with the university students as most of them are our good customers," said Nurul Islam, a shopkeeper at Santosh Bazar. The university Regent Board on Sunday held a meeting in Dhaka with Vice Chancellor Dr M Nurul Islam in the chair but no date was fixed for reopening the university, said Prof Nurul Islam Miah, registrar of the university.