RU teachers, staff announce complete shutdown

The institutional privilege, or ‘ward quota,’ for admission of children of teachers, officers, and employees at Rajshahi University (RU) will remain suspended. The decision was taken at an emergency syndicate meeting on Sunday afternoon. In protest, teachers, officers, and employees of the university announced a complete shutdown starting Monday.

Acting registrar Iftikharul Alam Masud briefed journalists with the decision around 5:15pm, following the emergency syndicate meeting that began at 3:00pm at the residence of vice-chancellor professor Saleh Hasan Naqib.

Professor Masud said a five-member internal probe committee and a judicial inquiry committee have been formed over Saturday’s scuffle between teachers, staff, and students centering the ward quota. Admission under institutional privilege (ward quota) will remain suspended for now, and a final decision will be announced soon after discussions with all concerned bodies. The syndicate also made a call to the election commission, teachers, students, and all stakeholders to hold the long-awaited Rajshahi University Central Students’ Union (RUCSU) election in due course.

Meanwhile, teachers, officers, and employees declared the complete shutdown program alleging that some teachers were assaulted during Sunday’s student protests over the ward quota. They announced the program would continue until those responsible are brought to justice. However, all activities related to the RUCSU election will remain outside the purview of the shutdown.