Jucsu leaders have locked the Jahangirnagar University (JU) administration building, demanding justice for teachers and staff accused of attacks during the July uprising last year.
Jucsu (Jahangirnagar University Central Students Union) General Secretary Mazharul Islam, several members, and a few other students sealed the building on Friday.
The university administration has expressed concern that normal activities, including events planned for Victory Day (16 December), could be disrupted.
JU Pro–Vice Chancellor (administration) Professor Sohel Ahmed said, “This is extremely embarrassing. Tomorrow, the gas connection for new halls is scheduled to be inaugurated.”
He said, “All office work, file movements, and financial transactions are connected to this building. The admission tests are also approaching, and the judicial process concerning teachers is ongoing. Overall, the closure will affect all university operations.”
The nationalist teachers’ forum has condemned the locking of the administrative building.
About the incident, Mazharul said, “On Friday afternoon, we held a protest march condemning the attack on Osman Hadi. After that, we locked the administrative building demanding justice for the teachers who supported the July uprising attack.”
He added that the decision was taken with the consent of most Jucsu members.
Asked whether the closure would disrupt Victory Day or Martyred Intellectuals Day events, he said, “Jucsu and the university administration will observe both days with due respect. The closure of the administrative building will not affect the celebrations.”
However, Jucsu Vice President (VP) Abdur Rashid Jitu said he had no knowledge of the incident.
He said, “While in Dhaka, I heard that there was a programme under the banner of general students protesting the attack on Inqilab Mancha spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi. Later, I expressed solidarity on behalf of Jucsu. In the evening, I heard through a journalist’s question that the registrar’s building had been locked. No one informed me who had done it.”
