Students of Barishal University (BU) have announced a shutdown of administrative activities, intensifying their demand for Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Sucharita Sharmin’s immediate resignation.
Following weeks of protests, students at Barishal University declared a shutdown of all administrative operations starting Tuesday, from 11 AM to 1 PM, while academic activities will continue as scheduled. The announcement came Monday after a sit-in and protest march across the campus.
The demonstrators, spearheaded by the platform Baisammya Birodhi Chhatra Andolon (Anti-Discrimination Student Movement), accused the vice-chancellor of mismanagement, irregularities, and a failure to engage with student concerns. Their core demand remains her immediate resignation or removal.
Protesting students began their sit-in around noon on the university’s ground floor, later marching through the campus and surrounding streets, including the VC’s bungalow and Dhaka-Kuakata highway. They chanted slogans like, “We don’t want a VC who avoids students,” and “A VC who sues students has no place here.”
Student leader Rakib Ahmed alleged that the VC’s eight-month tenure has been marked by widespread administrative corruption and undemocratic actions. “She lost her moral right to lead the institution the day she filed cases against students,” he said.
Another student, Mokabbir Sheikh, claimed the VC had reappointed individuals with authoritarian tendencies to the administration and responded to peaceful protests with legal harassment. “We will launch more intense programs if she doesn’t resign by Tuesday morning,” he warned.
Protest coordinator Shahidul Islam Shahed criticized the University Grants Commission (UGC) for inaction and demanded they remove the VC and appoint someone competent and accountable.
The student movement began on April 17, citing authoritarian practices and alleged bias against supporters of the July Movement. Now in its 18th day, the protest has escalated to a one-point demand: the VC must go. Organizers hinted at broader regional blockades if authorities continue to ignore their grievances.
LND/BG
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