A student of North South University has been staging a solo sit-in at the Central Shaheed Minar in the capital demanding eight reforms, including changes to the education system and an end to the collection of unlawful tuition fees by private universities.
The programme, which began on Sunday, continued on Tuesday. The student is scheduled to continue the sit-in from 9:00am to 5:00pm.
The protesting student, Hasibul Hossain Shanto, introduced himself as a former coordinator of the July movement. He is organising the programme under the banner of an organisation called “July Aspirations Implementation Movement”, of which he is also the convener.
Although he is holding the sit-in alone, Hasibul claimed that several people have already expressed solidarity with his movement.
Speaking to TIMES, Hasibul said, “Eight months ago, I submitted an application to the University Grants Commission (UGC) regarding irregularities in setting tuition fees at private universities, collection of excessive fees and various mismanagement issues. However, no solution has been found yet.”
He said he later filed a writ petition with the court. Although the court issued a rule on the matter, the judicial process is taking time.
“Under these circumstances, I have started this sit-in to press for the implementation of my demands through intervention by the executive branch,” he said.
The eight-point demands include forming an education reform commission to reform the country’s education system; determining tuition fees based on the cost of running academic activities in accordance with Section 42 of the Private University Act and stopping unlawful fee collection; reducing retake fees to half of the original course fees; and ending commercialisation of education through reform of the Private University Act.
The demands also include ensuring transparency in the income and expenditure of private universities through the Ministry of Education and the UGC, providing government development allocations based on the quality of education and activities of universities and forming an investigation committee to examine the income and expenditure accounts of North South University over the past two years.
Hasibul has also demanded restructuring the North South University Board of Trustees and removing individuals allegedly involved in corruption.
He has called for the resignation of the university vice-chancellor, alleging student harassment and abuse at the proctor’s office and the unjust suspension of three students.
Besides, he has demanded solutions to various internal problems raised by students, including issues with the university’s Wi-Fi and canteen facilities and the alleged practice of limiting the number of students receiving an “A” grade in classrooms.
