BANGLADESH

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has asked the members of Juba League, the ruling party's youth front, to be vigilant against 'any efforts to create unrest in the country'.

Awami League president Hasina was addressing them after inaugurating the organisation's sixth national congress at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center on Saturday.

In her 20-minute speech she advised Juba League members to build up future leadership and that they remain cautious about the people 'conspiring against the country and democracy'.

"Juba League must guard our land relentlessly... let no one play games with Bangladesh anymore," she added.

"You know who those people are… who are trying to create unrest in the country," she said.

Hasina bitterly criticised the opposition for their stand on the trial of War criminals.

"They don't want the trial to continue. They are involved in many conspiracies to destroy democracy in our country. The youth must be alert about this," she said.

Central leaders of Awami League and other front organisations as well as ambassadors and diplomats of different countries were present at the event.

Awami League General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam in his speech reminisced about the first congress of Juba League in 1974 and said he was present there as a representative of Chhatra League.

Juba League Chairman Omar Faruk emphasised on finding new leadership instead of promoting old leaders. "Instead of blaming each other, a politics of self-criticism can take us a long way," he said.

"A political organisation without political movement becomes a leisure club. We need to strengthen the organisation," he added. "No outside power can harm us, because we know who they are. It may come from within, the enemies hiding inside," he said.

Awami League Advisory Council member Amir Hossain Amu, Presidium member Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Joint General Secretary Jahangir Kabir Nanak also spoke on the occasion.

The deadlock at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) has taken a new turn as a group of teachers, students and employees of the institution have emerged to support the beleaguered Vice-Chancellor and Pro-Vice Chancellor.

'BUET Teachers-Students-Officers-Employees Unity Forum' held a rally in front of the BUET Cafeteria on Saturday afternoon and told reporters that the teachers association's demands were irrational.

They also added a political flavour to the movement, claiming most of the teachers protesting against the VC were Jamaat-e-Islami aligned.

Professor Munaj Ahmed Noor, convenor of the newly-formed forum, said after the rally that the most of the 16-point demands put forth by the protesters had been met.

"Moreover, 10 of their demands are contrary to the interests of the officers and employees," he added.

Speakers at the rally urged the demonstrators to withdraw the movement and let a judicial commission investigate allegations against the VC.

BUET Deputy Registrar and Bangabandhu Parishad President Kamal Ahmed said, "Seeing the involvement of pro-Jamaat teachers among the demonstrators, I suspect that this is a deep conspiracy against the state, government and BUET."

Earlier in the morning, the demonstrating teachers and students vowed to continue their protests seeking removal of the VC and his deputy.

On the fourth day of the continuous protests, the agitating teachers and students brought out a silent procession from in front of the academic building and paraded across the campus and the Central Shaheed Minar.

The BUET Teachers Association General Secretary Professor Ashraful Islam administered an oath of the teachers and students. More than 200 teachers and students reportedly took part in the oath and vowed to continue with their demonstration until the VC and Pro-VC step down.

They have been staging sit-in protests in front of the academic building since last Wednesday demanding VC Prof SM Nazrul Islam and Pro VC Prof M Habibur Rahman's resignation.

The students have initiated a mass signature campaign in support of their demand. They said the collected signatures along with their demands would be handed over to the President Zillur Rahman, who is also the Chancellor of the university, on Sunday.

Jahangirnagar University teachers, under the banner of Shammilito Shikkhak Parishad, have besieged the administrative building of the university to press for their demand to hold dean, syndicate and senate polls before the election of the panel for the Vice-Chancellor post.

The demonstrating teachers took position at the two gates of the building around 7:30am on Sunday, blocking entry to and exit from the building.

Registrar Abu Bakr Siddique and other administrative officials could not enter the building when they arrived there 15 minutes later.

The teachers' platform has been demonstrating since July 14, after the VC panel election, scheduled for July 20, was announced.

The platform's Joint Convenor Professor Hanif Ali told : "It will not be possible to hold the VC election in the university under current situation. But it is possible to hold polls to the vacant posts (of dean, syndicate and senate) in 20/21 days if sincere efforts are taken."

The immediate past Vice Chancellor Sharif Enamul Kabir was removed from office on May 17 after months of demonstrations by teachers and students triggered by death of a student Zobair Ahmed, who allegedly died on Jan 8 after being tortured by group of Chhatra League activists reportedly backed by the VC.

Enamul Kabir was replaced by Dhaka University Professor Anwar Hossain, who the teachers said had repeatedly promised to hold student union, dean, syndicate and senate polls gradually since taking over. Demonstrating teachers alleged that the sudden call for VC panel election without holding the pending elections was not acceptable.

Supporters of Bangladesh Chhatra League of two halls at Rajhshahi University started a violent clash at Sunday midnight.

Students at the university said activists of Madar Bakhsh Hall and Suhrawardi Hall, activists of the ruling Awami League's student wing, fired gunshots at around midnight. Several hand-bombs were also exploded.

Motihar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Anisur Rahman told reporters the police had brought the the situation under control. Additional police had been deployed in front of every dorm.

Some students who were injured in the clash have been sent to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital. Students said one of them, Sohel Rana, had been shot.

Tension had been building among rival groups on the campus since the university unit of Chhatra League announced its new committee.

Sohel Rana, student of third-year Social Work, was shot in the left eye and has been sent to Dhaka in critical condition.

Clashes broke out after an argument between BCL Vice-President Akheruzzaman Takim and Organising Secretary Touhid Al Tuhin, eye-witnesses said. They said at least 15-20 shots had been fired and hand-bombs exploded.

BCL General Secretary Abu Hossain Bipu said the incident was regrettable but declined to make further comments.

No cases had been filed in the incident, OC Anisur Rahman told