JU first-year students boycott online classes

The first-year students of Jahangirnagar University under the academic session 2022-23 have boycotted their online classes, which started on 30 November due to a "seat crisis at the university's dormitories".

Demanding in-person classes, students from 23 out of 38 departments and institutions reportedly refrained from participating in online classes, said students and faculties.

Students from the departments of Law and Justice, International Relations, English, Bangla, Archaeology,  Fine Arts, Journalism and Media Studies, History, Philosophy, Mathematics, Environmental Sciences, Chemistry, Computer Science and Engineering, Zoology, Pharmacy, Economics, Anthropology, Geography and Environment, Government and Politics, Management Studies, the Institute of Information Technology and the Bangabandhu Institute of Comparative Literature and Culture have boycotted online classes, the respective class representatives said.

A Bangla department student, who wishes to remain anonymous, said, "Claiming seat crisis in university dormitories, the authorities started our online classes five months after the admission test. The national election is over, but no decisions have been made about our in-person classes. 

"Rather, they are preparing to conduct another admissions exam. Now we have no alternative but to boycott the classes."

We will continue our protest until any decision is made, he added.

Earlier on Sunday, the students staged a human chain in front of the new administrative building of the university, demanding the same.

Prof Md Nuhu Alam, dean of the Biological Sciences faculty, said, "A few students are attending online classes. Several departments' students have boycotted the class. We are just implementing the decision of the university. If the university says in-person classes will start today, then it will be in-person, and if it says it will be online, then it will be like this."

Wishing anonymity, a hall provost said, "The Vice-Chancellor will hold a meeting with the hall provosts. The VC wishes to arrange in-person classes starting 25 January."

JU Vice-Chancellor Prof Md Nurul Alam could not be reached over phone for comments despite repeated attempts.