Police-student clash stalls DU admission form distribution

The distribution of admission forms at Dhaka University (DU) was suspended for five hours yesterday amid students demonstration over twin demands of cutting admission fees and cancellation of the decision regarding the admission of madrassa students to eight departments of DU. At least 25 students were injured when police swung into action to disperse the demonstrators
Several hundred students gathered in front of the Teacher Student Centre (TSC) at around 8:30 am and staged demonstration against "illogical" DU admission rules that barred madrassa students from seeking admission to eight departments.
After a few minutes a large contingent of police chased the demonstrators while they were trying to foil the distribution of admission forms at TSC Janata Bank branch.
Police indiscriminately charged batons on them leaving at lest 25 injured.
Among them, seriously injured are Habibur Rahman, Shamimul Islam of Social Welfare department, Mujahidul Islam from Peace and Conflict department, Forhad of Arabic department, Omar Faruque of Political Science department, Al Mamun of Information Science and Shamim of International Relations.
Madrassa Chhatra Odhikar Sangrakkhan Committee convener Md Moniruzzaman told reporters that the police swooped on them when they were entering the TSC premises with a procession to stop selling of first-year honours course admission forms demanding withdrawal of restrictions on madrassa students for admission into eight departments of DU.
DU VC, proctor and other senior teachers sat in an emergency meeting before the police action.
After police action the demonstrators marched to the foot of Aparajeyo Bangla and held a rally. They protested DU admission rules that prevent the madrassa students from seeking admission to DU.
On the other hand, Progressive Students Alliance (PSA), a platform of left- leaning student organisation, demonstrated on the campus to reduce the increased admission fees from Tk 300 to Tk 250.
The leaders and activists of PSA took out a procession on the campus from Madhur Canteen at around 9:30 am and marched towards the TSC Janata Bank.
When they reached the TSC and tried to lay siege around TSC Janata Bank branch police resorted to baton charge leaving at least seven injured. The injured students are: Biplob Mandal, Sohan Sobhan, Sohel, Rahat Ahmed, Rukhsana Afroz Asa and Momutahina.
After the incident, the PSA put up a road block there and held a rally at the TSC. They also announced that they would not allow sale of any admission form of B and D units until fees were reduced. Sale of A unit forms at Curzon Hall was also halted following students' protest. Mita of Chhatra Union, a partner in PSA, alleged that police beat up their activists without any provocation when they reached the same place demanding a reduction of Tk 50 for each admission form. An on duty police officer, Suruzzaman told reporters that they charged batons on the agitating students, as police was asked by the university authorities to help the bank sell admission forms without any hindrance.
Earlier, DU Vice-Chancellor, SMA Faiz had directed the law enforcing agencies to assist the bank authorities so that they could sell admission forms smoothly.
However, the Janata Bank Branch, couldn't sell admission forms without interruptions, as sporadic clashes between police and the agitating students continued for a long time.
Admission seekers, who came to the campus to collect admission forms, had to suffer a lot, as they waited in long queues for hours. A number of students and guardians who came to buy forms were also injured during the police action, witnesses said.
A large number of police were deployed in and around the campus after the incident. Madrassa Chhatra Odhikar Sangrakkhan Committee later held a press conference at the Dhaka Reporters' Unity (DRU) after the incident and demanded removal of VC Prof Dr SMA Faiz.
It announced a fresh course of programme include form action of a human chain today at 10 am at TSC, demonstration and rallies across the country tomorrow and submission of a memorandum to the Chief Adviser.
The DU authorities has imposed bar on madrassa students for admission to Bengali, English, Mass Communication and Journalism, Economics, Women and Gender Studies, Public Administration and Linguistics departments, as they do not have 200 marks in English like the students of general discipline.