Latest news with #JU
Asia News Network
2 days ago
- Science
- Asia News Network
Bangladesh environmental lawyers group urges ban on illegal nets at JU campus to protect biodiversity
DHAKA – Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA) sent a formal letter urging the authorities concerned to take necessary measures to immediately ban use of illegal China Duari nets to protect aquatic biodiversity, ecosystem, and food chain of the waterbodies located within and around Jahangirnagar University (JU) campus. The organisation also demanded that those responsible for using these fine-meshed fishing nets be identified and brought under legal accountability to ensure appropriate punishment. Recently, BELA came across a concerning report published in a national daily, which highlighted the use of the illegal nets for fishing in waterbodies inside and around the JU campus. According to the report, such nets are widely used in areas like Sinduria, Mirertake, Dairy Farm, Bishmail Lake, and other nearby waterbodies. These nets, made with extremely fine mesh, are causing serious destruction to aquatic biodiversity. A wide variety of aquatic species, including snakes, frogs, fish fry, and insects, frequently get trapped in the nets. While attempting to escape, their bodies are torn apart, leading to a slow and painful death. Moreover, birds, both native and migratory, that rely on fish as a food source, particularly kingfishers and herons, are also getting trapped in these nets. As a result, the food chain of aquatic biodiversity is being disrupted, which in turn is damaging the ecosystem. The report also mentioned that the lakes within the JU have been leased, and leaseholders are using these illegal nets. Furthermore, it has been alleged that university staffers themselves are using these nets in non-leased waterbodies.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Sinking barge: High tide worry for fly ash unloading
Kolkata: The Bangladeshi barge 'Suhan-Malati', carrying fly ash, started capsizing near Kakdwip on Friday morning and is almost 80% submerged in the Muriganga river. Efforts to unload the fly ash have begun. A team of engineers inspected the ship on Saturday and stated that the internal fly ash must be removed swiftly to facilitate repairs. However, the unloading process is repeatedly hindered by high tide. The barge was carrying fly ash from Budge Budge en route to Bangladesh on Thursday evening when it developed a crack in its hull. "Although nothing is being forcibly dumped into the river, the submerged ship makes water pollution inevitable. This will pose a threat to those fishing nearby with small boats, as fish density will decrease," said Sundarban Marine Fishermen's Union Secretary, Satinath Patra. Ex-Pro-VC and head of chemical engineering at JU, Prof Siddhartha Dutta, said fly ash contains heavy metals in both soluble and insoluble forms and that contact with it can cause skin diseases in humans.
Hans India
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
BNP, Yunus administration equally responsible: Dhaka students protest over trader's brutal murder
Dhaka: Students in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, held a torch procession and rally on the campus of Jahangirnagar University (JU) to demand justice for a trader who was brutally murdered recently. The students expressed their frustration, stating that last year's protest in July was ineffective, as criminal activities have continued to rise even after a change in power, according to local media reports on Sunday. The protest followed the gruesome murder of Lal Chand, also known as Sohag, a 39-year-old scrap trader from Old Dhaka. The protestors condemned recent incidents of violence across the country, including killings and attacks driven by political and religious tensions, reported the leading Bangladeshi daily, The Dhaka Tribune. The demonstration was organised under the banner of Jahangirnagar Against Repression. The torch rally began Saturday at 8:30 p.m. from the base of the university's Shaheed Minar and moved through several parts of the campus before culminating at BotTala, where a protest rally was held. Various student leaders and activists took part in the protest, voicing anger over what they described as a worsening human rights situation in the South Asian nation, despite the Muhhamad Yunus-led interim government assuming power. Yunus administration promised to bring reforms after the July protests led to the ouster of the democratically elected government under former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. However, since then, the law and order situation has further worsened in Bangladesh. Sajib Ahmed Jenich, organiser of the Socialist Student Front (Marxist), JU unit, said during the rally: "Even after the interim government has taken charge, we still have to protest against enforced disappearances, murders, rapes and extrajudicial killings. This is deeply shameful for the nation." He also directly linked the killing of Sohag to the failure of state institutions to act against politically protected criminals. "When a murder isn't acknowledged as a crime and attempts are made to downplay it, criminals feel emboldened to commit more. Sohag was murdered over extortion; that responsibility lies not only with BNP but also equally with the current interim government," he said. During the rally, one of the students protesting told The Dhaka Tribune, "After killing a man, they are jumping on his dead body to show their power. They think it's just another political incident. Can they confidently say that tomorrow they or their family members won't be killed by extortionists? If not, they must realise where we stand now, a year after the July uprising. The horror we lived through last July has only intensified. We did not see any meaningful results from that movement." Earlier this week, Sohag was brutally murdered in broad daylight near the gate of Sir Salimullah Medical College, Mitford Hospital. Witnesses reported that he was dragged from his shop, beaten with iron rods and chunks of concrete, and left lifeless on the street as passersby looked on in shock. The students at JU vowed to continue their protests, demanding justice for Sohag and all victims of politically motivated and communal violence across the country.
Time of India
05-07-2025
- Science
- Time of India
11,570 last year to 8,980 this time: Queue for JU arts, science shortens
Kolkata: Jadavpur University has received a significantly lower number of UG applications for its arts and science subjects compared to that last year. The JU English department, which has been topping the list of arts subjects for the highest number of applications in recent times, received 1,756 forms this year, 700 fewer than 2,456 last year. Among science subjects, physics and chemistry usually invite more applications than others though last year, mathematics had topped the list with 1,835 applications, possibly because there was no entrance test. But this year, the number of forms for the maths department has come to 954 so far. While arts department's applications ended at Friday midnight (June 3), that for science will end at Saturday midnight (June 4). JU opened its admission portal for UG arts and science courses on June 20 with a 7% reservation for OBC, following the Calcutta High Court's order of May 2024. The university was to start the process on May 19 but had put it hold over OBC-reservation disputes. The next date of inviting applications was set for June 18, but the university again pushed it back after the HC stayed the gazette notification on OBC till July 3. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata English department professor Sonia Sahoo confirmed the drop in number. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo "Several factors may be behind the dip. First, students do not like uncertainty, and the delay in opening the admission portal may have prompted this dip in applications. Another reason could be that students nowadays prefer professional courses rather than spend four years for a traditional undergraduate degree, according to the NEP curriculum," she said. A university official pointed out that the number of applications in other arts and science subjects, too, such as Bengali, comparative literature, international relations, history, maths, physics and chemistry, saw a dip. For example, the Bengali department received 290 applications this year, while the figure was 406 last year. The chemistry department received 1,286 applications last year and 926 this time. Pointing out that the drop was an alarming trend, Bengali department professor Rajyeswar Sinha said, "Lack of job opportunities by studying these traditional subjects, coupled with the four-year course under NEP, is probably discouraging students from opting for these subjects." Physics professor Partha Pratim Ray maintained that the delay in opening admission portal led to the decrease in applications. "JU has the autonomy to make its own decisions but the higher education department interfered and told us to keep the admission process in abeyance," said Ray, also JUTA general secretary. Maths professor Abhijit Lahiri said, "Fewer students have applied to maths as there are very few jobs in schools, especially govt jobs secured through SSC. Students consider going in for BTech more beneficial than studying maths honours. It will fetch them a decent job." All arts and science subjects, except Sanskrit, philosophy and geology, will admit students based on Plus-II scores and entrance test results.
Time of India
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Nostalgia runs high for locked union rooms
Kolkata: Former students from various colleges and universities rued the transformation of union rooms from vibrant, democratic spaces to venues for activities that have damaged the institutions' reputation. From the late fifties to the mid-sixties, the CU union room was the centre of significant movements, including the food movement. It also played a key role alongside the union room of Presidency College during the Naxalite movement. Under the leadership of Naxalite leader Asim Chatterjee, at least 26 students resided in the Presidency College union room. Sibaji Pratim Basu, former Vidyasagar University VC and a Presi alumnus, said: "Presidency became a seat of activities during the Naxalite Movement. Presidency Consolidation was formed with students from Presidency and other colleges. I heard from Ranabir Samaddar that they worked with bakery workers of Kelabagan for their rights." You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata He added, "During my time, union rooms were our homes. I had the key to the union room and used to go there even on Sundays. It was the time of 'Bandi Mukti Andolan'. We wrote posters and interacted with each other." Kunal Chattopadhyay, a former professor and a JU alumnus, said, "I was a student from 1976 to 1981. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Esse novo alarme com câmera é quase gratuito em Quaraí (consulte o preço) Alarmes Undo The union rooms were spaces where students and elected representatives regularly convened. This space was alive and democratic because union elections were held every year." Rajyeswar Sinha, a JU Bengali department professor, said that during his university days from 1995 to 2000, the union room housed a library and was a venue for exchanging ideas. "I remember reading numerous newspapers and magazines in the union room. It was a place for listening to different music, writing lyrics, and debating about Kabir Suman songs."
