Staff Reporter:
Jagannath University students held a unique demonstration on Friday afternoon at the Kakrail intersection in Dhaka, symbolically throwing bottles at baskets bearing images of Adviser Mahfuj Alam. The protest is part of their ongoing demand for a solution to the university’s housing crisis,
along with three other unresolved issues. The demonstration, which attracted over a hundred students, took place near the Kakrail Mosque, where three plastic baskets were placed on the road, each featuring a picture of Mahfuj Alam.
One by one, students took turns hurling plastic bottles at the baskets, creating a striking visual display of dissent. The protest’s focus is not only on the housing crisis but also on allegations against Mahfuj Alam. Students have accused him of misusing his position and shifting attention away from the real issues by focusing on a previous incident involving a bottle hitting his head.
The students clarified that the bottle-throwing was unintentional, and their teachers had already apologized for the event. However, they expressed frustration with the adviser’s response to the situation, which they said only aggravated matters.
“Our teachers apologized for what happened to Mahfuj, but his arrogance and abuse of power have made things worse. His behavior needs to change. We strongly denounce it,” said Ismail Hossain, a student from the Law Department. Shawon, a student from the 2019-20 batch of the Anthropology Department, shared similar sentiments, criticizing Mahfuj for showing more sympathy for the police than for the students’ legitimate demands.
