A quarter trying to conspire surrounding SUST protest, says a teachers' body

The Federation of University Teachers' Association (FBUTA) has expressed grave concern over "a quarter with vested interest trying to divert the ongoing student protest at Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) and hatching conspiracy involving it".

The association said this in a statement, undersigned by its President Prof Dr Farida Yasmin Bari and Secretary General Prof Dr Md Nizamul Haque Bhuiyan, sent to media last night.

In the statement, the teachers' association called upon the government to investigate if there is any conspiracy involving the SUST protest and take necessary steps to this end.

"We are concerned that a quarter is trying to disrupt the existing peaceful situation at all the university campuses in the country by involving the students as part of its conspiracy to destabilise the country," the statement read.

"Also, we call upon the authorities of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) to accept all logical demands of the students and bring back the environment congenial for academic processes on the campus," the FBUTA statement also said.

"There are allegations that the anti-government quarters are trying to divert the SUST protest by influencing the agitating students to materialise its conspiracy to turn it into a movement against the government," it said.

"We think the incumbent SUST VC's resignation is not the solution to the crisis, rather it will deteriorate the existing situation further. The VC had taken numerous important steps towards university's development and also for the students. Yet, it has given rise to questions as to why a solvable issue has been transformed into a movement demanding the VC's resignation," it said.

"While a new provost has been appointed on the campus and the institution has been closed to ensure the security of the students, the quarter is plotting to agitate the protesting innocent students to turn their protest into an anti-government movement," the statement added.