Mymensingh’s Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) in Mymensigh has been shut down for an indefinite period following campus unrest sparked by a student movement demanding a combined degree. The decision came after protesting students confined over 200 faculty members including the Vice-Chancellor during a standoff over their demands.
In an official notice, the university administration instructed all students to vacate their residential halls by 9:00am sharp on Monday as a precautionary measure to prevent further escalation.
Tensions escalated on Sunday morning when students blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh railway line, bringing all train services in the area to a halt. The demonstration was primarily led by students from the Faculty of Agriculture, who staged a sit-in on the tracks near the campus, effectively severing rail communication for several hours.
The protestors issued a strong warning, declaring that they would continue their movement until their demands were met in full.
Their three-point demand includes the creation of 10th-grade positions for agricultural graduates in the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC), and other relevant research institutions. They also called for the abolition of the existing BADC quota in the 9th-grade appointments.
The students alleged that despite repeatedly raising their concerns over a long period, the authorities had failed to take any meaningful action. They further vowed to intensify their protests if their demands were not addressed without delay.
