Md Towsif-ur-Rahman,  JnU Correspondent: In 2005, Jagannath University started its journey as a non-residential public university. But all its resources such as Halls were evicted. Now the playground of JnU is under threat. The Dhaka South City Corporation is planning to build a market in the place of the field. Meanwhile, the students have been protesting for the protection of the field, but there has been no administrative progress. The question for students is,”Being a public university students, don’t we deserve to have a playground ”
Previously, when DSCC was taking initiative to build a market in the central playground of JnU, then (on June 17) the University authorities sent letter to the South City Coporation in order to save the only playground of JnU. At that time, the Mayor assured not to build anything on the ground and thus the poles were removed from the ground. But Last Sunday night the whole field was surrounded again and they removed the goalposts and boundary walls. Now the university administration says that although the city corporation initially promised not to build a market in the field, but now the mayor is not talking. Now letters will be sent from the university to various departments to protect the field. If this is not resolved then alternative measures will be taken.
Since 1984 the ground has been used as the central playground of the university. The first convocation of Jagannath University was also held at this ground.
This is where the students of the University demanded to defend their only playground. Pragatisheel Chhatrajote held a press conference in the cafeteria of the university at 11 am on Sunday. Khairul Hasan Jahin, one of the leaders of the student alliance and general secretary of the Bangladesh Students Union, Jagannath University Parliament, read out a written statement. At that time,  the only playground of 17,000 students of the university was also on the way to be occupied. We think that the indifference of the university administration is responsible for today’s situation. Although the ground was allotted to the university in 1984, it has not yet been incorporated as university property through the legal process and appropriate protection measures have not been taken.
After that, the general students held a human chain in front of the central Shaheed Minar of the university at 12 noon. Asaduzzaman Raju, a convener of the field protection movement, presided over the program. Many more including Sumaiya Soma, Hena Akhi , Md Samsul Huda, Mohammad Faisal, Shakil gave their valuable speech in this regard.
At the same time, the speakers said that even if the university is to keep the university, the field has to be restored, if there is no field, the students will lean towards drugs. Until we go to the new campus, we want to use the incense field. At this time, the students warned, you have a lot of places to loot. You also looted money for mosquito repellent. Get rid of the evil thoughts of students by occupying the playground. Students will respond appropriately to maintain their field authority.
While the students were in the field, Gandaria Police Station Officer-in-Charge Saju Mia visited them. “We were on patrol when we got the news,” he told reporters. “The students protested peacefully.”