Aggrieved students of Jahangirnagar University staged overnight protests and locked the university’s proctor office on Saturday after authorities failed to arrest the suspect in an attempted rape case involving a female student within a 48-hour ultimatum set by protesters.

The demonstrations began at about 1:00am on Friday night when female students marched from residential halls across the campus before gathering in front of the vice-chancellor’s residence.

In front of the residence, the protesters continued a sit-in programme until 9:00am on Saturday demanding swift arrest of the accused.

At a press conference after the sit-in, protesting students said the university administration had failed to fulfil assurances made after they announced a six-point demand on May 13, including the arrest of the accused within 48 hours.’The administration has shown extreme failure.

The accused has still not been arrested,’ a protesting student Sanjida Nur said, accusing university authorities of misleading protesters and denying previously accepted demands.

The protesters also alleged that the administration concealed important information related to the case and circulated incorrect photographs that created confusion during the investigation.

They further criticised the university’s proctorial body, citing previous incidents of sexual violence and unresolved cases on campus during the current administration.

Following the press conference, female students broke the lock of the proctor office and placed a new lock on the building, declaring the proctorial body ‘unwanted’.

Protesters also wrote slogans on the office walls, renamed the proctor office as ‘Non-functional proctor office’ demanding the resignation of the university proctor AKM Rashidul Alam.

The demonstrators announced that all administrative activities at the university would remain suspended from Sunday unless the proctor resigned and the accused was arrested and given exemplary punishment.

Another protester Nicky Zaman said students had lost confidence in the current proctor.

‘We have not seen proper resolution of any major incident during his tenure. We do not want this failed proctor anymore,’ she said.

She also said the sit-in programme would continue until the proctor stepped down.

‘We also urge law enforcement agencies to quickly arrest the accused,’ she said.

The protesters called on students, teachers, cultural organisations, political groups and the general public to express solidarity with the movement.

Citing police, JU vice chancellor Professor Kamrul Ahsan said police were continuing efforts to arrest the suspect and that there had been ‘some progress’ in the investigation.

Responding to demands for the proctor’s resignation, he said disciplinary decisions could only be taken after hearing both the complainant and the accused through a formal investigation committee.

‘There is no scope to immediately remove the proctor while standing in front of the residence,’ he said.

The vice-chancellor also said allegations regarding the circulation of incorrect photographs would be examined by the investigation committee and expressed hope that students would allow time for the inquiry to conclude.