A Correspondent:
Gazipur: At least 25 people including five policemen were injured in a clash between two groups on Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology (DUET) campus on Sunday centering the joining of newly appointed Vice-Chancellor (VC) Professor Dr Mohammad Iqbal.
The unrest began after a government appointed Dr Mohammad Iqbal of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology as the new VC of DUET, said witnesses.
Soon after the announcement, a section of students of the university rejected the appointment and de-manded a vice-chancellor appointed from within DUET.
Dr Iqbal was scheduled to join the office on Sunday. Since morning, some students started demonstra-tions rejecting the new VC and declared him ‘persona non grata’ on the campus.
The protesters locked the university’s main gate and observed a ‘red card’ program demanding cancella-tion of the appointment, said witnesses.
Meanwhile, some students who supported the new VC gathered outside the campus, triggering tension between the two groups.
At one stage, a clash broke out between two groups, leaving at least 25 people injured.
Aminul Islam, Office-in-Charge of Sadar Police Station they are trying to bring the situation under con-trol.
As DUET is a specialised engineering university, the protesting students argued that teachers from the institution have better understanding and experience regarding its academic and administrative structure.
They said appointing a VC from among DUET teachers would help ensure the university’s overall de-velopment, research activities and academic environment.
