No sign of ending veterinary university stalemate
Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (CVASU).Photo: STAR
Education of around 400 students of the country's lone veterinary university has become uncertain as the unrest over the demand for resignation of its vice chancellor has been continuing for the last nine months. Frustration is mounting among the students of Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (CVASU) and their guardians as both agitating students and university administration have failed to reach a consensus to end the deadlock. The unrest started in December last year as Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) and General Students Forum jointly enforced an indefinite strike to press home their 21-point demand including removal of VC Dr Nitish Chandra Debnath on charges of corruption. The students blamed the VC for indulging in corruption and nepotism in appointing teachers and employees of the university. The authorities closed the university for an indefinite period on December 14 last year. Meanwhile, a three-member probe body of the University Grants Commission (UGC) visited the university on January 3 this year to investigate the allegations of corruption against the VC. The committee submitted a report to the education ministry in this regard, said the sources. The university reopened on April 4. The deadlock persists for around five months as the BCL activists continue strike. At one stage of their agitation they put the VC's office under lock and key, confining him to his evening office-cum residence. Later, they locked his residence as he left for Dhaka to attend a conference. Following the incident, teachers, officials and employees of the university started boycott of classes on April 9 demanding punishment to the students involved in manhandling their colleagues and staffs. The situation improved when BCL stopped its agitation on the campus following an assurance from Prime Minister's Education Adviser Prof Alauddin Ahmed. BCL and General Students Forum started a fresh agitation on July 27 and gave a 20-day ultimatum to the authorities concerned to remove Dr Nitish as no step was taken in this regard. The situation deteriorated again on August 29 when BCL enforced indefinite siege programme on the campus after the university authorities expelled five BCL activists including its convener and punished four others on disciplinary ground. The authorities punished the students for assaulting and misbehaving with some teachers and staffs of the university during their agitation in January which the BCL leaders termed 'false'. Sources said BCL Chittagong city unit and city Awami League President ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury are allegedly patronising the BCL on the campus. City BCL President MR Azim and General Secretary Salahuddin joined a protest rally held in front of CVASU on Tuesday. When contacted Dr Nitish termed the allegation against him baseless. A section of BCL activists were carrying out the agitation without support of the general students, Dr Nitish said, adding that he is always ready to talk with the agitating students. Zakir Hossain, a final year student, said it seems no major steps have been taken to improve the situation as both the administration and the agitating students are adamant about their stand. The general students are losing their valuable times, he said. Porimal Sen, a guardian, said his son was admitted to June session last year but only one of the three semesters was completed so far. The general students and guardians seek immediate intervention of prime minister and education minster to end the impasse.
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