Rajshahi, Sept 21 (V7N) — Teachers and staff of Rajshahi University staged a full-day work stoppage on Sunday to protest the assault on the university’s Pro-Vice Chancellor and other faculty members and to demand exemplary punishment for those involved.

The protest comes after clashes erupted on Saturday over the reinstatement of the ward/employee quota in admissions. Tensions escalated at the Jubery building, where students confronted the Pro-Vice Chancellor, Professor Main Uddin, who fell to the ground during the scuffle. Students reportedly trapped several faculty members and administrative officials, including the university registrar and proctor, before eventually releasing them after nearly seven hours.

Following the incident, the Nationalist Teachers’ Forum, led by Abdul Alim, announced the work stoppage. On Sunday, faculty and staff assembled at Amatal, a central campus location, while all academic buildings and administrative offices remained open. Staff arrived via university buses and personal vehicles but refrained from performing any official duties. Classes and exams were also suspended.

The unrest was initially sparked when students protested the reinstatement of the quota system for children of teachers and staff, burning tires in front of the administrative building. The university later withdrew the decision late Saturday night via its official Facebook page and scheduled an emergency syndicate meeting for Sunday afternoon to finalize the matter. Despite the withdrawal, students continued their protest, demanding that the Pro-Vice Chancellor revoke the quota through executive authority.

University Vice-Chancellor Saleh Hasan Naqib visited the campus late Saturday night, announcing the suspension of institutional privileges for children of faculty and staff, citing the tense situation and the convening of the emergency syndicate meeting. Students outside the gate chanted slogans rejecting the announcement.

The clashes and subsequent work stoppage reflect ongoing tensions over admission policies, governance, and student-faculty relations at Rajshahi University. University authorities plan to address the matter in the syndicate meeting and take further actions based on its decisions.

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