JnU students hold protest over teacher's criticism of Chhatra League ban

Students of Jagannath University on Tuesday held a protest, demanding the expulsion of Md Abusalah Sakender, an assistant professor in the Department of Islamic History and Culture, following his opposition to the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and his remarks about the recent Chhatra League ban.

The protest began at 9am, when students from the department locked all the classrooms of the department and later marched to the vice chancellor’s (VC) office.

The students chanted various slogans. They also staged a symbolic protest by throwing shoes at a banner condemning Sakender.

The students demanded several actions from the university authorities. They called for the immediate suspension of Sakender, including halting his salary, allowances, and all other privileges.

They also demanded the formation of an investigation committee within seven working days to recommend his permanent expulsion.

In addition, they are asking for the recovery of the financial benefits received by Sakender since 2019, which they claim were unjustly approved by the academic committee.

Lastly, the students threatened to shut down all classes and exams until the suspension is enforced and legal action is taken.

The protest was sparked by a column written by Sakender on a national online portal, in which he criticized the decision to ban Chhatra League, calling it an "intellectual mistake."