Shammo murder: Students enforce day-long strike
Protests continued at Dhaka University for a second consecutive day yesterday, as students enforced a day-long strike, demanding justice for the murder of their fellow Shahriar Alam Shammo and the resignation of vice-chancellor and proctor.
No classes or examinations were held as the demonstrators locked the gates of several faculties and the registrar's building, rejecting DU authorities' announcement of a half-day suspension of classes and exams to mourn the death of Shammo.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. The students accused the university administration of failing to ensure students' safety.
The protests began after Shammo's killing on Tuesday night.
Shammo, 25, was the literature and publication affairs secretary of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal's Sir AF Rahman Hall unit and a student of the 2018-19 session at the Institute of Education and Research.
Three suspects, who have been arrested over the murder, have no links with the DU, said police.
According to police, the three arrestees, along with others, had a scuffle with Shammo at the Suhrawardy Udyan and subsequently killed him. The scuffle took place when a motorcycle of the accused collided with Shammo's bike, they added.
DU authorities announced a half-day suspension of classes and exams, but later extended it to a full-day shutdown amid the strike.
According to witnesses, said a group of DU students, including leaders and activists of JCD and left-leaning student organisations, under the banner of Students Against Terrorism, began assembling at Madhur Canteen around 12:00 noon.
Later, they marched through the campus and locked the entrances to the faculties of social sciences, arts, business studies, the registrar's building, and the Institute of Modern Languages.
The protesters also entered the registrar's building and asked everyone to leave, said the witnesses.
Vice-chancellor Niaz Ahmed Khan was not in his office at that time.
Meanwhile, JCD also held a protest programme wearing black badges in front of VC's residence, calling for the resignation of the VC and the proctor.
Speaking at the programme, DU unit JCD President Ganesh Chandra Roy Sahos said, "We submitted several memorandums to the vice-chancellor, urging him to make the campus safer, but we saw no action."
"How did two killings happen in just nine months? We don't want to see the proctor who has failed to ensure the safety of students. We also demand the VC's resignation."
Taking to social media, a group of students said many outsiders, including leaders and activists of JCD Dhaka city unit, joined the protest. They expressed security concerns over the outsiders' entry to the campus.
Asked about the presence of outsiders, DU JCD unit General Secretary Nahiduzzaman Shipon said Shammo, an active JCD member, was on the frontline during the July movement. As the central JCD called for the protest programme, students from various units and educational institutions joined it spontaneously to demand justice for his killing.
After holding another rally at Aparajeyo Bangla around 4:00pm, the students under the banner of Students Against Terrorism went to Shahbagh Police Station to know about the progress made in the case.
Contacted, Sub-Inspector Tawfique Hasan of Shahbagh Police Station said that they would seek a 10-day remand of the three arrestees tomorrow.
"We are trying to arrest the others," added the investigation officer of the case.
Talking to The Daily Star, DU Proctor Saifuddin Ahmed said, "Shammo was a friend and classmate to many. We understand that emotions are running high. However, it is up to the general students to judge how logical the demand for resignation is. Suhrawardy Udyan does not fall under our jurisdiction. Still, following the incident, a meeting was held in the presence of an adviser, and they have taken decisions regarding the Udyan to ensure the security of students."
He added that a committee had been formed to investigate the death, and a case had been lodged. He emphasised that there was no negligence on the part of the university authorities and expressed hope that all university activities would resume as usual from Sunday.
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