Titumir college students end protest for now, await government action on demands

After a week of protests, students of Titumir College in Dhaka returned to their classes on Tuesday, February 4, following the government‍‍`s assurance that their concerns would be addressed. 

However, they have made it clear that if there is no visible progress within the next seven days, they are prepared to resume their protests.

On Tuesday morning, classes were held from 8:45 AM to 11:00 AM, followed by the third-year final exams at 12:30 PM. According to bdnews24.com, the students have temporarily suspended their protest but have stated that any further actions will depend on how the government responds in the coming week.

Nur Mohammad, one of the protest leaders, said, 

"For now, we have decided to suspend our movement for seven days. During this time, classes and exams will continue as usual. The next course of action will depend on the visible results of the government‍‍`s actions."

The protests had started last Tuesday when the students boycotted their classes and exams, demanding the declaration of Titumir College as an independent university, among other reforms. 

The following day, the students began a hunger strike.

On Monday, officials from the Ministry of Education assured the students that their facilities would be improved, but there was no concrete commitment regarding the transformation of Titumir College into a university.

Rohan Hossain, a first-year student in the Physics department, said, 

"I am hopeful that the government will meet our demands. If not, we will protest again. We want a peaceful learning environment, not chaos."

Rafiqul Islam, a student from the Management department, pointed out that while many students have returned to class, attendance is still low. 

"It was expected at first. It may increase later. If our demands are not fulfilled, the coordinators will likely announce a new plan, and we will stand with them," he added.

Ashikur Rahman Anto shared, 

"After the announcement, I returned to class with optimism about the assurance we received. It was a collective decision to come back to class."

The protests began on January 26, when violent clashes broke out between Dhaka University students and those from the seven affiliated colleges, including Titumir College. 

The next day, Dhaka University’s Vice-Chancellor, Neaz Ahmed Khan, declared that the seven colleges would be freed from the university‍‍`s affiliation.

The government is considering establishing an independent university for these colleges, but Titumir students specifically want their college to be declared a separate university.

Starting last Tuesday, Titumir College students launched a shutdown campaign, boycotting their classes and exams, demanding seven key reforms.

The students also began a hunger strike the following afternoon, holding banners that read "Titumir University National Recognition Demand."

On Thursday, they started blocking roads in a campaign called "Barasat Barricade to North City."

Their seven demands include the establishment of an academic calendar for the new university, the formation of a university administration, starting the enrollment process for the 2024-25 session, and full accommodation for all students.

On Monday, following a road blockade, students blocked the railway tracks in the Mohakhali area, causing major traffic jams and stranding train passengers. Frustrated passengers at Kamalapur Railway Station even detained the station manager.

In the evening, Ministry of Education officials met with the protesting students. At 9:15 PM, Joint Secretary Md. Nuruzzaman and Principal Shreeprani Mondol visited the Mohakhali rail crossing to speak with the students. The officials broke the hunger strike by offering juice to the students.

Although no clear commitment was made regarding the transformation of the college into a university, Md. Nuruzzaman assured the students that their facilities would be improved.

"We will discuss with student representatives and finalize the structure for the 2024-25 academic session. The Ministry of Education is considering allocating nearby land for new buildings and hostels to address accommodation issues," he said.

He added, 

"Within the next seven days, we will show visible progress in addressing accommodation and transportation issues. We will also discuss with the University Grants Commission (UGC) to consider reducing the number of students to improve education quality."

Regarding the demands for Law and Journalism departments, he said, 

"This subject is not available in the education cadre. We will review this demand and update the students later."

To address the faculty shortage, he assured, 

"We will ensure the posting of Ph.D. holders and experienced teachers within seven days. We will expedite the process of creating 152 faculty positions."

He also mentioned that a team would be formed under the Principal’s leadership, along with student representatives, to assess housing and education quality issues.

"They will inform us of the government‍‍`s progress in implementing these decisions," he added.

Regarding the students’ request for a semester-based system, Nuruzzaman said, 

"If feasible, we will discuss it with the UGC Chairman’s committee and consider it. We hope to create an internationally recognized educational institution together."

After the students suspended their protests and returned to class, traffic on the road from Mohakhali to Gulshan returned to normal.