Dhaka, Nov 11 (V7N) – Students of Jagannath University (JU) have taken to the streets, surrounding the main entrance of the Secretariat with demands for immediate action on the construction of their second campus. The students are calling for the project to be placed under army supervision, along with two other demands, and have given the government three working days to respond in writing.

The protest began on Monday morning with students rallying in front of the Ministry of Education. By 2 p.m., the demonstration intensified, with students moving to the Secretariat’s entrance, effectively halting traffic and causing gridlock across multiple routes in the capital. The blockade has trapped employees inside the Secretariat and disrupted movement at five major points around the area.

The students’ primary demands include:

1. Handing Over Project to the Army: Appointment of a qualified army officer as the project director to replace the current director, whom the students allege to be corrupt. They have given a seven-day timeline for this change.

2. Clear Statement from the Ministry of Education: The students are urging the Ministry to officially announce the handover of the second campus project to the army and provide a detailed plan for the transition.

3. Land Acquisition and Cancellation of Agreements: Immediate acquisition of the remaining 11 acres required for the campus and the termination of “unethical agreements” made under the previous Awami League government regarding the existing campus.

The protest is also tied to a recent University Grants Commission (UGC) proposal to amend the Higher Education Acceleration and Transformation (HIT) project, which aims to enhance digital infrastructure and provide scholarships for low-income students. While Dhaka University was designated as a pilot for this initiative, JU students are demanding that their university receive priority for these improvements.

The protesters have warned of escalating their actions if their demands are not met within the stipulated timeframe.

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