Jumbangla Desk: The Ministry of Education has formed a committee of 13 members to solve the academic and administrative problems of seven government colleges affiliated to Dhaka University (DU). Sabrina Sultana, a representative of seven college reforms and a student of Shaheed Suhrawardy College, has given a three-day ultimatum to the government to form a commission for university transformation, rejecting this committee.
The ultimatum was given at a press conference at the Shaheed ANM Najib Uddin Khan Khurram Auditorium of Dhaka College on Saturday (October 26) at 4 pm. Besides, the students gave a three-day program in their respective campuses.
Programs: Graffiti drawing in respective campuses on Sunday, mass communication program in every department in all colleges on Monday and rally of seven college students will be held at Dhaka College campus at 3 pm on Tuesday.
In the press conference, student Sabrina Sultana said that in 2017, on the orders of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, seven government colleges of the capital were affiliated to DU. However, this decision was completely unplanned. As a result, the goals and objectives with which these colleges were affiliated, could not be achieved even in the last 8 years. In short, instead of improving the quality of education, the students have been deprived of proper educational opportunities due to various discriminatory policies and administrative weaknesses of the DU administration. In such a situation students have now raised the demand for an autonomous or independent public university consisting of seven colleges.
He said, with the aim of implementing the demand, we have already given a memorandum to the Education Advisor, University Grants Commission (UGC), Vice Chancellor of Dhaka University. But I did not get any kind of response from the authorities at the appointed time. Their quiet stance forced us to take to the streets.
He also said that we, the students of seven colleges organized in Dhaka College on September 22 to show the problem of seven colleges on the demand of independent public university. In a press conference organized to highlight various problems, I formally demanded an autonomous university. After the same demand on September 25, education advisor Dr. Wahiduddin Mahmud, 29 September DU Vice-Chancellor Dr. Niaz Ahmad Khan and UGC Chairman Prof. Dr. Memorandum was given to SMA Faiz. I have also given the same memorandum to the principals of the colleges.
This student of Shaheed Suhrawardy College said that on October 22, seven of us college students blocked Neelkhet and Sciencelab intersection in the capital. The blockade program runs from 12 noon to 3 pm. In the afternoon, a 24-hour ultimatum was given from ScienceLab with three demands. Along with that, the program as on that day was announced suspended. In this, the Ministry of Education formed a committee of 13 members to solve the academic and administrative problems of seven colleges. The committee was directed to submit its report with necessary recommendations within the next six weeks.
Sabrina said, we students initially welcome the initiative of forming this committee. However, nothing is mentioned in the notification of the ministry about the aims and objectives of this committee. Although there are reforms in the scope of work, I do not want any reforms now. We are now in the movement to demand an autonomous university consisting of seven colleges. Their scope conflicts with our claim here. So we are very worried about the goals and objectives of their committee. In such a reality, we are rejecting this committee of 13 members as there is no student representative in the committee and the motive of the committee. There was no reflection of the students' demands here.
This representative of the seven college reforms said, "We want to say in clear language that the seven colleges should be converted into universities immediately." Unbiased academicians and intellectuals who understand the structure of the university should be preferred in the university commission. Along with this, student representatives who are involved with the students and understand the pulse of the students should be included in the commission. Any unilateral decision against the student will not be accepted.
He said, realizing the rationale of our demand and movement, the leaders of the anti-discrimination student movement called us to DU on Friday. A meeting of our seven college student representatives with student representatives was held there. There we present our demands in detail in front of the student representatives of Dhaka University. They understood our position and expressed solidarity with this movement. They assured us of their support in any subsequent steps.
Sabrina Sultana said, we also discussed with them about the 13-member committee of the ministry. We have stated our position regarding this committee. We urge them to take steps to form a 'University Transformation Commission' instead of a 'Reform' Committee in coordination with the Government. Also informed about their commission structure. We have told them about the next three working days to implement these demands. If the demand is not implemented in the meantime, we will decide our next course of action next Tuesday.
Another coordinator Sajib Hossain said that 70 percent of students of Titumir expressed solidarity with the movement of seven colleges and are in logical movement. The remaining 30 percent are agitating separately.
DU affiliated colleges are - Dhaka College, Eden Women's College, Begum Badrunnessa Government Women's College, Kabi Nazrul Government College, Shaheed Suhrawardy College, Mirpur Bangla College and Government Titumir College.
