Students of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) continued their protest for a second day by blocking the railway line, defying the university’s directive to vacate the dormitories.
Around 12:00 pm on Tuesday, they staged the blockade at Jabbar’s Mor, halting train services on the Dhaka–Mymensingh route.
AHM Himel, a third-year student of the Faculty of Animal Husbandry, said, “We gave a six-point ultimatum yesterday morning, but the administration has yet to respond. That’s why we were forced to block the railway to press our demands. We will lift the blockade only if the authorities come and assure us.”
Another student, Fouzia Nazneen, added, “In Bangladesh, it has become a culture that students must protest to have their demands met. But how logical is it to use outsiders to attack us during such protests? Until our demands are fulfilled, we will continue this movement.”
Speaking about the situation, BAU Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. AKM Fazlul Haque Bhuiyan said, “I cannot act on the students’ demands alone. The Academic Council took a good decision in its emergency meeting, but the students rejected it and went the wrong way. They are now protesting instead of complying with the directive to vacate the halls. The matter is beyond my control now — the Deputy Commissioner will decide what is best.”
The unrest began after students demanded that degrees from the Faculty of Veterinary Science and the Faculty of Animal Husbandry be merged into a single combined degree.
On Sunday, amid demonstrations, 251 teachers and officials were confined on campus, leading to an attack on students by alleged outsiders.
Later that night, the university was declared closed indefinitely, and students were instructed to vacate their halls by 9:00 am Monday.
