Mymensingh, Sep 1 (V7N) – Students of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) have intensified protests by refusing to leave the campus halls despite an administrative order. On Monday morning, hundreds of students gathered in front of the university’s KR Market, demanding the identification of attackers and a proper investigation into Sunday’s violence. While some students have left the halls citing safety concerns, many remain in defiance of the directive.

The unrest escalated on Sunday when protesting students blocked around 227 members of the Academic Council, including the Vice-Chancellor, inside the Zainul Abedin auditorium. They were pressing their demand for a combined degree between the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and the Faculty of Animal Husbandry.

Tensions boiled over when a group of individuals armed with sticks attacked the demonstrators. Several students were injured, while an outsider was seen throwing a Jamuna TV camera in an apparent attempt to conceal his identity. The attackers’ identities have yet to be confirmed.

Following the violence, the university administration announced indefinite closure and ordered all students to vacate the halls by 9 a.m. Monday. However, the protesting students have rejected the directive, insisting their demands must be met before they leave.

Students have been demonstrating for about a month, demanding the merger of degrees from the two faculties into a single integrated program. They argue that such a combined degree would enhance both academic recognition and career prospects.

END/SMA/AJ