Students from seven colleges affiliated with Dhaka University (DU) have welcomed the decision to sever ties between the institutions. However, they issued a 24-hour ultimatum for authorities to meet five additional demands, including the resignation of DU Pro Vice-Chancellor Prof Mamun Ahmed.
The announcement followed an emergency meeting by DU officials and college principals, which formally annouced the separation which established during the tenure of former DU Vice-Chancellor AAMS Arefin Siddique.
At a press briefing held at Dhaka College’s Shaheed Minar premises, Moinul Islam, a student leader, expressed dissatisfaction over unresolved issues. “We appreciate the separation decision but demand immediate withdrawal of the New Market Police Station Officer-in-Charge and Assistant Commissioner (AC) for brutally assaulting one of our classmates. If our demands are not met within 24 hours, we will block all behicles including DU vehicles from passing through the seven colleges,” he said.
In a separate press briefing, DU Vice-Chancellor Niaz Ahmed Khan stated that the decision to end the affiliation was reached after intense discussions. “This separation is intended to ensure dignity for both DU and the seven colleges. From the 2024-25 academic year, no new students will be admitted under DU,” he said.
He assured that the academic pursuits of current students under DU would remain unaffected. The Ministry of Education's special expert committee, formed in December 2024, will oversee the academic and administrative operations of the colleges going forward.
The seven colleges—Dhaka College, Eden College, Begum Badrunnesa Government Women’s College, Kabi Nazrul Government College, Government Shaheed Suhrawardy College, Government Titumir College, and Mirpur Government Bangla College—were brought under DU's jurisdiction in recognition of their academic achievements. However, ongoing tensions and administrative challenges led to escalating conflicts between DU and the colleges.