Rangpur's Rokeya University closed indefinitely

The Begum Rokeya University in Rangpur has been closed down indefinitely in the wake of the large scale protests seeking the ouster of the Vice Chancellor.

The police action was aimed at stopping the protestors for encircling the Vice Chancellor's residence after several teachers and members of staff had been suspended for their involvement in the campaign to have the VC removed.

They allege that he is involved in corruption.

But on Saturday, after the police action, Vice Chancellor Abdul Jalil Mia told bdnews24.com the suspension order of the six teachers and staff, who were behind the agitation, have been withdrawn.

This, as well as the decision to close down the university, are seen as a move to quell the protests.

Earlier, police barred the protestors from laying siege to the residence of the VC Prof Abdul Jalil Mia at around 11am under the banner of 'Durniti Birodhi Mancha,' a joint platform of teachers and students against corruption.

Witnesses said police lobbed tear gas, fired rubber bullets and used batons to disperse the protestors leaving more than 50 injured.

Five of those injured were teachers and members of the university staff.

Statistics Department Assistant Professor Ashraful Alam, Bengali Department Assistant Professor Shafique Ashraf, Computer Science Department’s Prof Ilias Pramanik were among those injured.

They were sent to Rangpur Medical College Hospital for treatment.

Meanwhile, upset with the incident, students blocked the Rangpur-Bogra Highway.

Prof R M Hafizur Rahman Selim, one of the protestors, blamed police for attacking 'their peaceful procession towards the VC’s residence suddenly”.

Rasidul Hasan, Rangpur's Additional Superintendent of police, said they used batons only after they were attacked by the protestors.

He said police also detained a Chhatra League activist named Rajib Hossain from near the Vice-Chancellor's residence during the clash and recovered two hand made crude bombs from his possession.

”Additional police have been deployed in the campus,” he said. "Tensions still prevails there," he added.