Students of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) withdrew their blockade of the railway track on Tuesday evening in response to BAU proctor Abdul Alim's proposal to sit in unconditional talks.
As a result, train communication on the Dhaka–Mymensingh route resumed after six hours.
"Earlier in the morning, students locked the university's Pubali bank branch and the treasurer's office, and it created a deadlock. At that point, two assistant proctors, Farhad Kadir and Sonia Kadir, spoke with the students and proposed discussions. The students agreed, with the condition that the dialogue must be unconditional," BAU proctor said.
"We hope that once discussions begin, all problems will be resolved."
Meanwhile, the university administration has formed a six-member investigation committee regarding the recent attack on students.
On Tuesday morning, students of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) on Tuesday locked the treasurer's office, the university's Pubali Bank branch, and also blocked a section of the railway tracks in Mymensingh.
They also rejected the university authority's directive to vacate the halls for the second consecutive day.
On Sunday, protesting the authorities' refusal to fully implement their demand for a combined degree, the students confined over 200 teachers as well as the vice-chancellor.
In the evening, the students dispersed after outsiders swooped on them, which brought an end to the teachers' confinement. At least four students were injured in the attack by outsiders.
The university was then declared closed indefinitely following a meeting of the university's syndicate on Sunday night.
On Tuesday, the students brought out a protest march from Jabbar's Mor around 12:45pm, and went to the treasurer's office and the Pubali Bank university branch.
At that time, the students forced the officials out and locked the gates of the treasurer's office and the bank.
Meanwhile, the students also blocked the railway for the second consecutive day at Jabbar's Mor around 12:00pm.
As a result, train movement on the Dhaka–Mymensingh route has been suspended.
The protesting students announced an indefinite blockade of the bank, the Treasurer's office, and the railway.
AHM Himel, one of the students, said, "On Monday, we gave a six-point demand. Until now, there has been no response from the administration. So we were compelled to block the railway to press our demands. If the administration comes and gives assurance, we will lift the blockade."
Vice-Chancellor Professor AKM Fazlul Haque Bhuiyan said, "I alone cannot do anything about the students' demands. An emergency meeting of the academic council made a good decision, but the students did not accept it and went astray.
"The matter is now beyond my control."
On Monday morning, Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) students staged a protest march, rejecting the university administration's directive to vacate the dormitories.
Students from different halls brought out processions around 9:10am and gathered at the university's KR Market area. They chanted various slogans protesting the decision.
The protesting students announced a six-point demand at a press conference in the university's Amtala area around 11:30am.
The six-point demands are:
1. Immediate withdrawal of the "illegal" hall evacuation notice.
2. Ensuring uninterrupted access to all facilities in the halls.
3. Resignation of the proctorial body within 24 hours for its failure to ensure student safety and for allowing outsiders to attack students with teachers' backing.
4. A public apology from the Vice-Chancellor for incidents of crude bomb explosions, vandalism of the library and other installations, attacks on students with local weapons, and harassment of female students by hired outsiders.
5. Exemplary punishment of the teachers involved in the attacks, along with the miscreants.
6. Immediate introduction of a single combined degree as per the ongoing month-long student movement.
The protesting students warned that if the administration fails to meet the demands promptly, they will enforce a total lockdown and blackout at BAU.
A BAU student, requesting anonymity, said, "Authorities are ordering us to vacate the halls, but the halls and university are not anyone's ancestral property. Without ensuring justice for the attacks on students by outsiders [on Sunday] during our peaceful demonstration, the administration has again ordered us to leave the halls, which we cannot accept. Intimidation will not stop our movement. Our protests will continue until our demands are met."
The decision was taken at an emergency meeting of the university's syndicate on Sunday night.
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