Students of Government College of Applied Human Science (formerly Home Economics College) continued their protests for a second day on Friday, demanding the removal of Principal Professor Meherunnesa and an investigation into an alleged police attack on students.
The protesters blocked the road in front of the college in the morning, pressing their two-point demand and insisting that the authorities meet their demands within the 72-hour deadline set on Thursday night.
They later shifted their demonstration inside the campus to reduce public inconvenience. Students said they would continue their sit-in on campus and resume road blockades on Monday if the authorities failed to respond by the weekend.
At a press briefing, the protesters reiterated their demands for action against police personnel allegedly involved in the midnight operation within 72 hours and the issuance of an official order removing the principal from the college.
They warned that their agitation would continue and all academic and administrative activities would remain suspended until their demands were met.
The latest protest followed a tense incident on Thursday, when students confined the principal to her office around 10:30am, demanding her resignation. She remained there for nearly 13 hours before police rescued her around midnight.
The dispute originated from a farewell programme at the college auditorium that continued beyond the permitted time. The authorities subsequently cancelled the residential hall seats of two students involved in organising the event.
Students alleged that the principal later demanded Tk12,600 to cover electricity and air-conditioning costs for one night as a condition for reinstating the students’ hall seats.
Describing the decision as arbitrary, the protesters demanded her removal.
They also alleged that police baton-charged students during the operation to rescue the principal, leaving at least 12 injured. According to their classmates, the injured students were receiving medical treatment.
Following the alleged police action, students staged another demonstration on the road outside the college on Thursday night and held a press briefing, demanding justice and the principal’s resignation. They gave the authorities 72 hours to address their demands.
Meanwhile, Lalbagh Police Station Officer-in-Charge Jamil Hossain told the media that some students had blocked the road in front of the college.
He said police would not obstruct the demonstration as long as it remained peaceful.
Regarding Thursday night’s incident, the OC said police had faced resistance from students while attempting to rescue the principal. However, he denied that police had used force during the operation.
