Leaders of the quota movement gave a seven-day ultimatum to the administration for withdrawing four cases filed against unnamed protesters over vandalising Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor’s house when the authorities concerned backtracked on the expulsion order of issued against Kabi Sufia Kamal Hall unit president of Bangladesh Chhattra League Iffat Jahan Esha. Joint convener of Bangladesh Sadharan Chhatra Adhikar Sangrakkhan Parishad Nurul Haq Noor made this announcement at a press briefing held in front of central library of Dhaka University at 4:15 pm on Wednesday.
Nurul Haq Noor further added that if their demands are not met within the stipulated time they would restart their movement including student strike at all educational institutions.
Nurul Haq Noor at the briefing said the leaders of the students platform are now in fear of their lives. ‘Threats are being issued to us and we are being shadowed daily, our daily life is being hampered,’
The convener of the platform Hasan Al Mamun could not be present at the briefing on security concern, Noor added.
Three joint conveners of the platform — Nurul Haq Noor, Faruk Hossain and Rashed Khan — who were detained for over an hour on Monday were present among others at the briefing.
Meanwhile, Dhaka University authorities yesterday withdrew the expulsion order issued against Kabi Sufia Kamal Hall unit president of Bangladesh Chhattra League Iffat Jahan Esha, who had allegedly assaulted three resident students for joining the quota reforms movement.
The decision was taken at a disciplinary board meeting, headed by Dhaka University VC Akhtaruzzaman. This has been confirmed DU proctor Golam Rabbani.
The expulsion order was revoked as the allegation against Esha was found to be baseless by the university’s investigative body as well as the Detective Branch of police, said Rabbani.
The disciplinary board also slapped a show-cause notice against 26 resident students of Kabi Sufia Kamal Hall who had been “identified for creating chaos” on the night of April 11 at the dormitory of the university, said DU VC Akhtaruzzaman.
Earlier, on 13 April, the ruling Awami League’s students’ wing, Bangladesh Chhatra League, reinstated Kabi Sufia Kamal Hall unit president Iffat Jahan Esha within 48 hours of her expulsion amid protests against her reported assault on fellow students.
Iffat and her followers had allegedly assaulted fourth-year botany student Morsheda Khatun, triggering protests around 12:30am on April 11. In some recordings that went viral, Iffat was heard using abusing and threatening fellow students for having joined demonstrations seeking quota reforms in government jobs.
In these recording, Esha also warned others that female students would be kicked out of the dormitory if they joined the protests.
On April 11, university proctor Golam Rabbani said that Iffat had been expelled from the university. “Esha said she was sorry for what she did,” he added.
Footage that went viral showed Iffat being given a garland of shoes after she said sorry.
A number of students at the female dormitory alleged that they feared further harassment by Iffat as her followers were spreading ‘hate-speech’ and threats against a number of girl students.