At least 25 Jahangirnagar University staff, including the vice chancellor and other officials, were freed Wednesday, after being held overnight in the university's administrative building, by students demanding suspension of a teacher for alleged sexual harassment.
The students freed the 25, giving a deadline of Aug 5 to suspend the accused teacher.
JU authorities held a special syndicate meeting Tuesday afternoon, under long-term pressure from students demanding proper enforcement by university authorities of regulations regarding protection from sexual harassment.
As the meeting concluded without any decision around 9.30 pm, students held the vice chancellor and other syndicate members overnight by locking all gates of the administrative building.
VC Muniruzzaman told bdnews24.com's JU correspondent that syndicate members later held an emergency meeting with the students to come to a solution.
They asked for two months to enforce the regulations, but the students did not accept the offer, demanding a specific date for the regulations to come into force, Moniruzzaman said.
"I can do nothing more. Let's see how long they can siege us," he said late Tuesday night.
The angry students held 25 people hostage overnight, including the VC, treasurer, proctor, registrar and other syndicate members.
They brought held a mass rally and other protest programmes, including staging dramas overnight, in front of the administrative building.
Demands for enforcement of anti-sexual harassment regulations were raised for the first time in the mid-90s, following the sexual harassment complaints by female students.
A group of teachers also expressed solidarity with students on the issue in 1998. The JU authorities ensured students that their demands would be met but nothing further has been done to date.
Students submitted a draft of the regulations in 1999. The university teachers association submitted another draft in 2002. The movement gained momentum in 2006, after a charge was brought against a teacher.
The authorities formed a committee to formulate the regulations on protection from sexual harassment. The 11-member committee submitted the regulations to the university authorities on May 9 last year.
Meanwhile, four female students of the university's drama department submitted a written statement on charges against drama teacher Sanwar Hossain on May 3.
Students took to the streets again under the banner of 'JU against harassment', and demanded suspension of the teacher and proper enforcement of the regulations. The students have boycotted classes since May 4, demanding the permanent suspension of the teacher.
The JU authorities have formed three different committees to investigate the allegations against Sanwar Hossain.
Two committees have submitted their reports so far and the investigation of the remaining committee led by the VC is underway.
Subject: Jahangirnagar University students give deadline on harassment case 
Wed Jul 30, 2008 12:23 pm
