Students burn furniture in front of the Dhaka University VC office yesterday, protesting the arrest of Chhatra League leader Mahfuzur Haider Chowdhury Roton.Photo: STARLeaders and activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) yesterday laid a siege to the office of Vice Chancellor of Dhaka University (DU) Prof SMA Faiz and kept him confined for four hours in protest against fresh arrest of BCL General Secretary Mahfuzul Haider Chowdhury Roton.
The demonstrators burnt an effigy of the VC, ransacked windowpanes at his office and later damaged cars on the street.
Roton was arrested immediately after his release from Mymensingh jail yesterday afternoon as the High Court (HC) declared his detention illegal in response to a writ petition filed by his father.
Earlier on May 4, he was arrested soon after release from the same jail on charge of breaching the Emergency Power Rules 2007.
On hearing the news of Roton's fresh arrest, several hundred leaders and activists of BCL, student wing of Awami League, rushed to the VC's office and laid a siege to it at about 4:00pm. They raised slogans protesting the arrest, and demanding removal of the VC.
A section of the demonstrators later brought out a protest procession on the campus. On their way, they damaged three cars including two of DU teachers. Returning to the VC's office, they again broke some windows.
They withdrew their siege at about 8:00pm as Prof Faiz informed them that Education Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman has convened a meeting to resolve the issue.
Roton was taken to Kotwali Police Station after his arrest and later admitted to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital (MMCH) with severe chest pain.
Earlier on January 16 last year, army personnel picked up Roton and five other BCL leaders--all DU students--from the campus. Next day, he was shown arrested by Shahbagh police under the EPR and sent to Dhaka Central Jail. He was detained there until April 29 this year and then shifted to Mymensingh jail.
Talking to this correspondent at the VC's office last night, Roton's father Absar Uddin Haider Chowdhury, a retired DU official, resented that his son was arrested once again although the HC declared his detention illegal. "I will not leave the spot until my son is released," he added.
Prof Faiz and Prof Harun-ur-Rashid, dean of social science faculty, attended the meeting with the education adviser at the ministry last night.
On his return from the meeting at about 10:45 pm, the VC told BCL men waiting at his office that the government is considering the matter seriously. He expressed the hope that the problem would be resolved by this noon.
Meanwhile, BCL decided to go for an agitation programme at the university today and a students strike if their demand is not met soon.
