Abdullah Al Mamun, BU 

The protesting students of University of Barishal (BU) have burnt the effigy of Registrar Monirul Islam, who has been accused of being an accomplice in the women scandal. Later, they locked the registrar’s office along with the offices of all officials under his department, giving a 12-hour ultimatum to meet their demands.

Protesting student Rakin Khan said that if the registrar is not officially removed from his position, they will not unlock the offices. He said that Registrar Monirul Islam is the former Joint General Secretary of Monpura Upazila Awami League in Bhola. He was one of the opponents of the July movement. Students have been staging continuous protests since last Tuesday with four-point demands including his removal. However, the BU Vice-Chancellor has not given any importance to their demands.The students said that a two-day ultimatum had been given to Vice-Chancellor Dr. Suchitra Sharmin on Thursday to meet their four-point demands, and the ultimatum expired on Saturday.Eyewitness sources said that the registrar was not in his office at the time of locking.Protesting student and former Chhatra Dal leader Mosharraf Hossain said that as the university administration did not pay any heed to the logical demands of the students, the registrar has been declared illegal and his office locked. He said, "This illegal registrar is an accomplice of tyranny, and he must be removed within 12 hours. Our movement will continue until our demands are met. The movement will become more intense if the demands are not fulfilled."University Treasurer Professor Dr. Mamunur Rashid said that the solution to the current unrest at the university lies with the Vice-Chancellor. The Vice-Chancellor can resolve the issue immediately by removing the illegal registrar.

University Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Golam Rabbani said that the Vice-Chancellor herself can quickly resolve the issue by discussing it with the students.Multiple attempts were made to contact Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Suchitra Sharmin for her comments on the issue, but she did not respond to calls. Calls made to her PS also went unanswered. Later, it was learned from the office that she was staying outside the university.It is mentioned  that students have been protesting since last Tuesday with four-point demands. The demands include withdrawal of the false defamatory accusation against Prof  Dr. Mohsin Uddin of the English Department and reinstatement to the Syndicate and Academic Council, removal of contract-based appointed Registrar Md. Monirul Islam, removal of fascist and tyrant teachers from profitable committees, and a public apology from the Vice-Chancellor for rehabilitating the accomplices of fascism.