A group of Chhatra League activists held a human chain outside the main gate of Jahangirnagar University, raising six demands including the restoration of students’ educational rights, withdrawal of politically motivated expulsions and the release of political prisoners.
The programme was held on Thursday, 25 June, outside the university’s main entrance. The exact time of the demonstration could not immediately be confirmed. The matter came to public attention after several photographs of the event were circulated on social media.
The photographs showed six people standing in front of the university gate holding separate posters outlining their demands. Four participants were identified as M H Lalon, an activist of the university unit of Chhatra League and a student of the Department of English; Al Mahmud of the Department of Chemistry; Abdullah Al Sad of the Department of Physics; and Md Sajib of the Department of Public Health and Informatics.
The identities of the other two participants could not be established. One was wearing a helmet while the other had his face covered with a mask.
The six posters carried separate demands. The first called for the immediate withdrawal of expulsions imposed on students across the country for political reasons, arguing that their fundamental right to education should be restored.
The participants also demanded the cancellation of what they described as an illegal ICT tribunal, the withdrawal of what they termed harassment cases, and the unconditional release of political prisoners.
Another demand concerned allegations of extrajudicial killings. The demonstrators called for proper investigations and justice in cases involving Shami Molla, Masud and Tofazzal, among others.
The protesters also called for stronger enforcement of the law to prevent violence against women and children, including rape and sexual abuse. They demanded exemplary punishment for those responsible for such offences.
The list of demands also included an investigation into allegations of embezzlement involving measles vaccination funds and the highest possible punishment for those responsible for child deaths allegedly linked to the issue.
Their sixth demand called for the cancellation of various agreements described by the protesters as forms of “imperialist subservience”. They also sought affordable prices for essential resources and utilities, including oil, gas, fertiliser and electricity.
University authorities said they were still trying to establish when the human chain took place. Jahangirnagar University’s acting chief security officer, Jefrul Hasan Chowdhury, said they had only recently learned about the programme and could not yet confirm its timing.
He said security camera footage would be reviewed to determine when the gathering took place and to establish further details.
University Proctor Professor A K M Rashidul Alam said the security division had previously been instructed to remain vigilant regarding activities involving Chhatra League activists. The authorities had seen a photograph of the human chain and had asked the security team to examine the CCTV footage.
According to the proctor, the university will determine the timing of the programme after reviewing the footage and will decide on any further action based on the findings.
