Islamic University officials continue work abstention for 2nd day

Officials of the Islamic University observed work abstention for the second consecutive day on Monday on the university campus in Kushtia to press home their 16-point demand, including increase in retirement age and ensuring policy to enroll their children under the ward quota.

About a hundred officers under the Islamic University Officers' Association observed the abstention programme from 9:00am to 4:00pm, halting administrative activities.

Their 16-point demands include extending the retirement age from 60 to 62 years and taking an immediate initiative to enroll students of teachers, officials and staff of the university under the ward quota.

Tanjila Akter, a former student of the university, said she had been waiting for the last two days to take her certificates and other documents from the controller of examinations office due to the indefinite work abstention programme called by the university's officers' association.

On Saturday, officials of the university held a meeting at IU's Birshreshtha Hamidur Rahman auditorium. Later, they announced an indefinite work abstention programme on campus.

They observed the work abstention as part of the announcement, Islamic University Officers' Association general secretary Walid Hasan Mukut said.

The association's President ATM Emdadul Alam said the university administration assured them of looking into the demands one after another but they did not take any effective measures regarding the issues.

"We will continue our demonstration on campus until our demands are met," he added.

IU vice-chancellor Professor Shaikh Abdus Salam said they were trying to resolve the issues after discussing the matter with the officials soon.

Meanwhile, the 261st syndicate meeting was on the campus in Kushtia on Sunday without IU acting registrar HM Ali Hasan, a former member secretary of the syndicate.