Students at Dhaka Central University (DCU) held a press conference presenting a 13-point set of demands to ensure academic rights, quality education and modern higher-education opportunities. They presented the demands at a press conference held at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, August 23, in front of the college’s Shaheed Minar.
Abdullah Al Fahad, a student from the 2022-23 session, said that a few days ago, at the Education Ministry’s request, DCU administration organized a referendum among currently enrolled students on academic migration. More than 17,000 students voted “yes” in that referendum, meaning students expressed agreement on wanting to migrate to Central University. The referendum results were published last Thursday, but the Education Ministry has yet to take any initiative to issue a notification on the matter.
Calling for exams to be completed quickly to free students from academic complications, he said all sessions, particularly the 2021-22 session and the first-year 2024-25 session, need to have their exams completed as soon as possible, freeing students from this academic complication.
He demanded that the university issue its academic roadmap, and that the ministry issue its notification on student migration, by the end of the day.
Warning that responsibility would fall on the Education Ministry if students created an unstable situation, he said: “If there is any deviation on the academic migration issue, and the students who voted ‘yes’ create an unstable situation in Dhaka city, the Education Ministry will have to take responsibility for that. We, the students, do not want to destabilize Dhaka city. We have made our legitimate demand known through democratic means, showing that we are unanimously agreed on university migration. Even the vice-chancellor has extended full cooperation on this matter.”
The students then presented 13 demands:
1. Arrange university-appropriate teachers for students and ensure training and professional-development opportunities for existing teachers.
2. Ensure students’ academic rights and facilities; publish the referendum results as a formal notification within 24 hours; and take an effective decision, with necessary steps, on including ongoing batches within 24 hours of the results being published.
3. Arrange equal access for everyone to digital learning resources, e-journals, e-books and databases.
4. Where subject-appropriate, provide the option of teaching and materials in both Bengali and English.
5. Ensure modern lab facilities.
6. Launch and expand safe, affordable and adequate transportation for students in line with university law, allocating two buses for each campus.
7. Arrange adequate and safe housing for students.
8. Build a research-friendly environment and infrastructure, and increase student and faculty participation in research.
9. Establish a regular, adequate research fund for student and faculty research.
10. Complete classes, exams, result publication and other activities on time, following a realistic academic calendar.
11. Introduce an effective dual examination system for continuous assessment and improvement, and clarify the exam structure.
12. Add up-to-date subjects across the university’s seven campuses starting from the 2026-27 academic year.
13. Take swift initiative to build a TSC (student-teacher center) at a suitable location, and ensure opportunities for various extracurricular activities centered on it, including sports, debate, cultural work, clubs and volunteering.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report