Viqarunnisa students take to street seeking permanent campus

The students of Dhanmondi branch of Viqarunnisa Noon School and College, Dhaka, and their guardians have taken to the streets demanding a permanent campus for the institution.

They brought out a demonstration procession at Dhanmondi at about 12 noon on Tuesday and blocked the road for around four hours, halting the vehicular movement.

But they called off their program around 4 pm after getting assurance from the school and college principal to meet their demands.

The students and their guardians said they came to know that effort is on to close Viqarunnisa Noon School and College's Dhanmondi campus and a decision has been taken to transfer some respected teachers of the branch.

That is why, they first formed a human chain in front of the institution and later, began a sit-in program on road demanding a permanent campus for it, they said.

Asked whether the authorities informed formally about the attempt to close the campus, they said though the authorities did not make such disclosure, they came to know about the matter through various sources.

Farhana Khan, a teacher of the branch who went to the spot on behalf of the principal, said she agrees to the demands of the students and the guardians, and an effort is going on for a permanent campus. 

About an attempt to close the Dhanmondi campus, she said, "A group is purposefully spreading a rumor. Nothing like that will happen."  

The agitated students and their guardians did not withdraw the program despite getting assurance from the senior teacher. 

Later, they called off their program after principal Kamrun Nahar had gone there and assured them of meeting their demands. 

The principal told Jago News, "We have no plan to relocate the Dhanmondi campus. I have assured the students and their guardians about the permanent campus. Then, they left the road, and now everything is normal."

She also said the owner of the building where the institution is located does not agree to enter a fresh agreement after the tenure of the previous one ended. 

A huge amount of money is needed to build a permanent campus. A meeting of the governing body will be convened within a day or two to know how to collect money to this end, she added.

Earlier, a guardian said Dhanmondi is the first approved branch out of four ones of Viqarunnisa Noon School and College and its academic activities are going on in a rented building.

The building may collapse as it is very old and the principal also knows it but did not take initiative to make new a building or to go to a permanent campus, the guardian said, adding that an effort is on to close the branch showing it as a loss project that left the pupils to take to the street.

Another guardian said former principal Fauzia deposited earnest money for a permanent campus for the institution but the present principal cancelled it soon after taking charge. Later, several teachers have also been transferred in verbal order.

"We have learned, a big company has already deposited earnest money. That is why we formed a human chain demanding a permanent campus," the guardian added.

MHM/SU