Students of the Department of Anthropology at University of Rajshahi staged a protest on Wednesday, locking the department building and demonstrating against prolonged session delays, delayed publication of results, and the slow pace of academic activities.
The protest began at around 10:30 am on June 24, when students placed locks on the department entrance and gathered with placards, chanting slogans in support of their demands.
According to the protesters, they have been suffering from long-standing session congestion, delayed academic schedules, and uncertainty surrounding examinations and results. They alleged that repeated appeals to the department administration had failed to produce any effective solution.
Students Demand Immediate Action
Mehedi Hasan Papon, a student of the 2019–20 academic session, said the academic activities for his batch started in January 2020. Although the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted education for nearly one and a half years, students expected to complete their undergraduate studies by 2024.
“Because of the session backlog, our honours programme was not completed until September 2025. Even after the publication of results, we have spent nearly five months without any master’s classes, examinations, or routine. The department says the curriculum has not been finalized, but our question is why it has taken so long to prepare it,” he said.
He further alleged that a semester designed to be completed within six months is now taking more than nine months, causing significant disruption to students’ academic and professional plans.
Concerns Over Exam Eligibility
Another protesting student, Khalid Hasan, said several students have been barred from taking examinations because their attendance rate fell below 60 percent, the minimum requirement under university regulations.
“We believe the issue should be considered from a humanitarian perspective. Various academic and administrative complications within the department have also contributed to the situation. We want those students to be given an opportunity to sit for the examinations, while the long-standing session delays and result publication issues must also be resolved permanently,” he said.
Department Cites University Regulations
Responding to the allegations, Department Chair Kazi Robiul Alam said the decision regarding examination eligibility was made in accordance with university rules.
“A number of students have attendance rates below 60 percent. According to university regulations, they are not eligible to participate in examinations. Therefore, we decided they would not be allowed to sit for the exams,” he said.
He explained that examinations were scheduled to begin on Wednesday, but some students demanded that all students, including those who failed to meet attendance requirements, be allowed to participate.
“I informed them that such a decision cannot be taken individually. It requires formal discussion with fellow faculty members. The protest is primarily centered around this issue,” he added.
Key Issues Raised by Students
- Session delays extending graduation timelines
- Delayed publication of examination results
- Nearly five months without master’s classes or examination schedules
- A semester designed for six months stretching beyond nine months
- Demand for reconsideration of the 60% attendance requirement for affected students
The demonstration highlights growing frustration among students over academic delays, with protesters urging the university administration to take immediate steps to restore regular academic activities and reduce session congestion.
