Dhaka Bureau: Bangladesh University of Engineering (BUET) Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Satya Prasad Majumdar said that the BUET administration is in agreement with the students’ movement. An inquiry committee has been constituted. After that, the academic council will meet and decide. The Vice-Chancellor can only exit the hall. The academic council will take action for breaches of discipline. If the complaint is proven, the BUET administration will take action as per law.
He said these things in response to various questions from journalists on Saturday (March 30).
Vice-Chancellor Satya Prasad said, “We can expel Imtiaz Rabbi from the hall, but it should be done in a systematic manner by calling a meeting of the Term Expulsion Disciplinary Committee.” The investigation report will be required for the Disciplinary Committee meeting. The disciplinary committee cannot take any action without an inquiry report. If punished in this way, it will not last even in court. As a result, an investigation will be required, and the accused should also be given an opportunity to defend himself. We have to follow the rules and regulations. We have formed an inquiry committee. The investigation committee has started working today. The six-member committee has been given time until April 8.
The Vice-Chancellor said about students boycotting the exam on Saturday and Sunday: we did not postpone the exam; they (students) boycotted. They did not apply for postponement of the examination either. We would consider the application. They made a mistake here. The test was done, but they were absent from the test. If later students apply for examinations, the Academic Council may consider it.
In reference to the demand for the resignation of the Director of Student Welfare (BSW), the BUET Vice-Chancellor said, “We are not thinking about the resignation of the BSW now.” Because it is a normal procedure. As per the rules, it should happen. DSW said there was no negligence on its part. Students can make demands, but we cannot act on them.
Satya Prasad Majumdar said that the security officer will be given a show-cause notice in case of the entry of an external Chhatra League leader on campus at midnight. He said, Why did he (the security officer) let in? He should not have been allowed in.
Criticizing the Chhatra League, the BUET vice chancellor said that if someone enters the campus late at night, it is definitely irregular. Whoever has entered must be identified first. Punishment cannot be done without detection. It takes time. If any security guard allows outsiders to enter, we will take action against him.
Earlier, BUET students protested on campus for various demands, including the permanent expulsion of six students from the morning for the second day. Later, at 12:30 pm, they ended the movement like the second day. However, the students also said that the protest would be held for the third day on Sunday morning, as the demand was not accepted.
Incidentally, on March 27, around 1:00 p.m., the Central President of the Chhatra League, the office secretary, and many others entered the BUET campus. BUET student Imtiaz Rabbi played an important role in getting the Chhatra League leaders onto the campus. After the ban on student politics, ordinary students are seeing such activities as the beginning of new politics in BUET. In view of which, they started the movement by questioning the university administration due to the resumption of political activities and insecurity on campus. Later, in the face of the agitation, the BUET administration expelled Imtiaz Rabbi from the hall last night. However, as all the demands were not accepted, the students started protesting again for the second day today.
The university authorities decided to ban student politics on the campus in connection with the thrashing of BUET student Abrar Fahad in Shere-Bangla Hall on October 7, 2019. Since then, the general students of BUET have formed unity against the infiltration of student politics on campus at various times.
