Quota reform movement leader Mashiur Rahman's fellows padlocked some of their classrooms at Dhaka University (DU) yesterday amid class abstention. Demanding immediate release of Rahman, the students of Sociology Department said that if Rahman was not released by Sunday next, they would initiate fresh movement.
"Mashiur is our friend and he has been arrested illegally. We are boycotting classes protesting attacks on quota reform movement. Now plan of fresh movement is being mulled to get our classmate back," a second year student of the department wishing anonymity said. Mashiur Rahman is the central committee leader of the quota reform movement.
Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) activists handed him over to police on June 30. Following the incident, his classmates declared indefinite strike on July 5.
Meantime, the department chairman Dr Nehal Karim said they did not have the authority to bar their freedom of expression. The teacher also said that the university would try for freeing the student as soon as possible.
"He is one of our students who got admitted to DU through an official process. I told the agitating students to submit a memo to the department which will be forwarded to the university authority," said the teacher.