IU students stage blockade demanding VC appointment

The students of Islamic University (IU) in Kushtia blocked the Kushtia-Khulna highway on Saturday for the second day demanding an appointment of Vice-Chancellor (VC) immediately.

The students, under the banner of 'Anti-Discrimination Student Movement', started a procession around 11 AM on Saturday from the university's Botala area and ended at Kushtia-Khulna highway entrance of the university's gate, after marching through various roads within the campus. They staged a sit-in protest on the Kushtia-Khulna highway. The blockade and protest caused severe traffic congestion on the highway.

However, following a mass uprising by students, the Vice-Chancellor, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, and Treasurer of IU resigned on August 10. Simultaneously, heads of other important departments of the university also resigned. The vacancies in multiple key positions have created various complexities across the university. The prolonged vacancy of the Vice-Chancellor for 41 days has raised concerns about a potential session jam, and led to a significant delay in other activities.

During the protest march, students carried placards with slogans such as 'Appoint a VC based on merit, not corruption,' 'We want a clean-image VC,' 'We want classes, exams, and an immediate VC,' 'We want to end the session jam,' 'We want a reform-minded VC,' 'We want an honest and courageous VC,' and 'No place for corruption in IU.'

The students stated, "The delay in appointing a new VC cannot be continued. For the past 15 years, VCs have been appointed through partisan favoritism. We do not want any more partisan VC. We want a neutral, honest, competent, and student-friendly Vice-Chancellor who will treat every student equally, and will free every department of the university from the session jam."

They further added that if a new Vice-Chancellor is not appointed soon, they will launch a more intense protest.