Students slaughter cow beside JnU VC’s residence to protest ban

Students of Jagannath University (JnU) slaughtered a cow beside the vice-chancellor’s residence on Friday in protest against a university administration notice banning the slaughter of animals on campus.

The cow was slaughtered around 8am on Friday on the road between the VC’s residence and the Department of Mathematics as part of a previously announced programme dubbed “Friday Beef Feast”. The students had purchased a cow for Tk 125,000 on Thursday for the event.

On Wednesday (October 14), the university’s proctor’s office issued a notice prohibiting the slaughter of any animals on campus, citing the need to maintain cleanliness, public health and discipline. The notice also warned that violators would face punitive action under Dhaka South City Corporation regulations.

In response, Masud Rana, assistant general secretary (AGS) of the Jagannath University Central Students’ Union (JocSU), announced the beef feast. Students were allowed to register through a Google Form on Thursday, with a participation fee of Tk 70 per person.

Students, led by JocSU, staged a procession and rally at the university’s sculpture plaza to protest the notice around 9:30pm on Wednesday. They put forward a four-point set of demands.

The demands included withdrawal of the notice, a public apology, an investigation into why the issue of the dinner had been given a communal dimension, the inclusion of beef and mutton on the campus cafeteria menu, and measures to uphold religious harmony for all.

JnU Additional Proctor Professor Dr Md Azam Khan said the administration would have no objection if the beef feast were organised in an orderly manner, with proper procedures followed and prior administrative permission obtained.