Some 1271 out of 1279 second-year students of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) did not appear the term final examinations reportedly on Wednesday morning as a part of their ongoing protests against attempts to reintroduce student politics on their campus.
Out of the eight students, five sat for the tests were involved in the politics of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), student wing of ruling Awami League.
However, Imtiaz Rabby, a central BCL leader who sat for the test in the morning, claimed that 11 students appeared in the examination.
It is learnt that none except one of the fourth-year students appeared in the final ter examinations at noon on the same day.
Besides, a third-year student said their batch also decided to boycott the final examinations scheduled to be held on April 20.
The percentage of the students abstained from the academic activities shows how adamant they are on their demand to bar the resumption of student politics in BUET.
Political activities were banned on BUET campus in 2019 following the brutal murder of Abrar Fahad in a hall of the university by some BCL leaders and activists.
BUET students began protests following an unauthorised entry into the campus of a group of workers of BCL led by its President Saddam Hussain in the early hours of March 28.
BUET students found unacceptable the attempt to reintroduce politics on their campus ignoring the authorities ban, resulting in the boycott of all academic activities.
In the face of the students demand, the authorities scrapped the hall seat of Imtiaz Rabby for organising the political gathering and formed an investigation committee.
On the contrary, BCL slammed the authorities prompt move and filed a writ petition to lift the ban on student politics on the BUET campus and return Rabbys seat to him.
Following the legal move, the High Court stayed the ban and asked BUET authorities to reallocate the seat to Rabby.
But students are still optimistic that the BUET authorities will stand by its decision to keep the campus free of politics.
Until the issue is resolved and the attempts to reintroduce politics on the campus are foiled, the protesters say they will boycott all academic activities.
BUET Examination Controller Prof Mohammed Imamul Hassan Bhuiyan said he does not know how many students appeared in the examinations as he had left the centre.
Asked if any decision has been taken to take the tests again for the absent students, he said he has no answers.
Despite several attempts, this correspondent could not reach the Vice Chancellor and the Director of Students Welfare for their comments.
