Students from the Dhaka College and six other former Dhaka University-affiliated colleges have strongly rejected the draft ordinance for the proposed Dhaka Central University, labelling it “unsuitable” and “unreasonable” in terms of preserving their institutions’ identity, heritage, and academic standards.
At a press conference held on Saturday at Dhaka College, student representatives demanded the immediate withdrawal of the draft. They insisted that any new university must be established in accordance with international standards, citing Oxford University as an example, reports UNB.
The students emphasised the need for administrative and financial autonomy, independent governing bodies, and dedicated resources for each college.
They also alleged that their earlier movement had been hijacked by a small group of individuals whose disruptive actions created unnecessary unrest and caused mental distress to general students, especially female students and faculty members.
Despite holding over two dozen meetings with relevant authorities, the students claimed that the opinions of college principals and department heads were largely ignored throughout the drafting process.
Dhaka College student Piyas Ahmed Alif criticised several provisions of the draft, including the proposed introduction of co-education at Eden and Begum Badrunnesa Colleges institutions historically committed to women’s education. He argued that such changes undermine the legacy and purpose of these colleges.
Alif also condemned the potential dissolution of departments such as Islamic History and Culture and Islamic Studies, calling it indicative of an anti-religious bias.
Additional concerns raised by students include uncertainty surrounding intermediate-level courses, the future of alumni identity, access to campus facilities, and the potential for conflicts over shared spaces between the colleges and the proposed university.
The students outlined three key demands are – Direct inclusion of all teachers, students, alumni, and staff in discussions regarding the formation of the university; an open and transparent consultation process not limited to what they described as a “mockery of e-mail surveys”; the formation of an independent commission to draft a sustainable, future-oriented legal framework.
They warned that failure to address these demands would result in intensified protests in the near future.
