Students of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University (SAU) have launched a strong protest against the government's initiative to relocate the Bangladesh Secretariat to the former trade fair ground in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka. The agitating students claim that the land historically belongs to the university and should be preserved for agricultural research and academic expansion rather than constructing administrative buildings.
Tensions escalated on Tuesday when soil testing activities for the proposed Secretariat project were underway at the site. A group of more than a hundred students brought out a vigorous protest procession, marched toward the field, and halted the ongoing work. During the demonstration, the students seized soil testing equipment and two vehicles from the site, relocating them inside the university campus.
The primary demand of the protesting students is the permanent handover of the field's ownership back to the university administration. They argue that establishing a massive bureaucratic complex like the Secretariat in an educational zone will severely disrupt the peaceful academic environment and practical research facilities necessary for agricultural students. Slogans echoing campus pride and demanding the reclamation of the land resonated throughout the demonstration.
Student leaders leading the movement emphasized that the land was originally intended for the university's educational purposes and condemned any unilateral attempts to alter its status. They stated that anyone seeking to retrieve the confiscated equipment and vehicles must officially negotiate with the university authorities, signaling a firm and organized stance against the relocation project.
Alongside the field demonstration and seizure of equipment, students boycotted all scheduled classes and examinations for the day to press home their demands. This sudden and assertive student uprising has drawn significant public attention, prompting concerns among policymakers regarding the future status of the land and the potential escalation of campus unrest if amicable solutions are not reached.
