SAU students vandalise trade fair structures

Students of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University (SAU) on Monday vandalised temporary structures set up for the Asia International Trade Fair on the university’s research field, demanding that the land be returned for academic and research activities.

The protest comes after the Cabinet on October 18 approved in principle a proposal to relocate the Bangladesh Secretariat from Abdul Gani Road to Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, with the government targeting to begin office operations at the new site by 2029.

Over 150 students entered the fairground around 1:15 pm and damaged several temporary installations, according to eyewitnesses.

Two agricultural tractors were brought to the site to demolish the structures, while a microphone-equipped pickup van was used to give instructions to the students.

The students first attempted to bring down the main entrance gate around 12:45pm using a tractor.

When that failed, they joined forces, using large bamboo poles to pull it down.

 They eventually demolished the gate around 1:15pm, chanting slogans such as “Our campus, let it remain ours” and “We want the bureaucrats and secretaries out”.

 The students also used tractors to damage other temporary structures and plough parts of the field.

 Police personnel were stationed at the three-way intersection near the China Friendship Conference Centre and the Planning Ministry but did not intervene during the demolition. �"UNB