The students of Jagannath University (JnU) blocked the Tantibazar intersection in Old Dhaka on Monday for their three key demands, including the handover of their second campus construction project to the army.
The students began protest at about 11:30am. They marched from the university campus to the intersection. After an hour, they moved to surround the university's administrative building at 12:30pm.
The students’ demands include holding the former project director accountable for alleged corruption, appointing an army officer to oversee the project within seven days, handing over the construction to the army with a priority on student housing, and acquiring the remaining 11 acres of land for the project.
“We demand 100 per cent housing because most students cannot afford to rent in Dhaka,” said a student of history department of the university.
In this regard, JnU Vice-Chancellor Professor Rezaul Karim said that the administration views the demands positively and is working to facilitate the project handover to the army.
However, he said that the transition would require time and urged students to avoid causing public inconvenience, noting the government's commitment to moving the project forward responsibly.
Traffic in Tatibazar area came to a standstill for nearly an hour due to the demonstration of the JnU students.
Tousib Mahmud Sohan, a spokesperson for the students, said that if their demands are not met, they would escalate their protest, vowing to block Tatibazar Road again on Tuesday at noon.
The students also called on authorities to reclaim the 11-acre land allocated for the university's expansion and to nullify what they described as “illegitimate agreements” made during the previous government. After blocking the road, the students marched in a procession, culminating in a demonstration at the Vice-Chancellor's office to further press their demands.
