RU Officers' Committee Suspends 7-Day Shutdown Program with RUCSU

The Officers' Committee at Rajshahi University (RU) has suspended its planned 7-day shutdown program. The announcement was made in a joint notice signed by committee President Md. Moktar Hossain and Treasurer Md. Masud Rana at 1:00 PM on Wednesday (September 24).

The notice states that an emergency meeting was held at the Officers' Committee office at 11:00 AM on September 24, attended by representatives from officers, assistants, general, and transport committees. In light of assurances from the university administration to swiftly implement their demands, the ongoing shutdown program, set to begin at 1:00 PM on September 24, has been suspended.

The notice further warns that if the demands are not met within the next seven working days, a broader program involving all stakeholders will be launched.

Earlier on Wednesday (September 24) at 11:00 AM, leaders and activists of the branch Chhatra Shibir staged a human chain in front of the central library to protest the ongoing shutdown. Chhatra Shibir Secretary Mujahid Faisal stated, "Today's shutdown is planned. For the third time, elections have been postponed on orders from a group's high command. Efforts are underway to derail RUCSU through shutdowns. Two probe committees have been formed over the teacher humiliation incident. If their findings are unsatisfactory, we may launch fresh protests. The current shutdown during the investigation period is unjustified."

Chhatra Shibir President and Vice-Presidential candidate of the 'United Students' Alliance' panel, Mostakur Rahman Jahid, remarked, "The ward quota is a form of oppression for affiliated students. One group is raising this issue to achieve three goals: reinstating the affiliated quota, disrupting the academic environment, and derailing the RUCSU election." Several independent candidates also expressed solidarity during the human chain, with around 200 leaders and activists, including the president and secretary, in attendance.

Meanwhile, leaders and activists of the Nationalist Teachers' Forum have continued their shutdown program. Forum General Secretary Professor Amirul Islam said, "The humiliation of the university's second-highest authority, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor, by students is unacceptable in any way. Previously, some named students had detained our colleagues. We have not received any assurances from the administration on this matter yet. We will continue our program until our demands are met."

Professor Md. Akhtar Hossain Majumdar, Administrator of the Public Relations Office, stated, "The protesting officers and employees at Rajshahi University have returned to work, and departmental activities have fully resumed."

This development comes amid heightened tensions at RU over the ward quota reinstatement demands, teacher humiliation allegations, and the postponement of RUCSU elections to October 16. The campus had been paralyzed for several days due to the complete shutdown, which began on September 22 in protest against incidents on September 20 where Pro-VC Prof. Moin Uddin and others were confined for hours during quota-related clashes. Two probe committees—one internal and one judicial—were formed on September 21 to investigate these events.