Dhaka: The University Grants Commission (UGC) on Sunday asked the country’s all public and private universities to keep their institutions open even amid the ongoing hartal and blockade.

From now on, classes and examinations have to be taken regularly and if needed, classes and examinations have to be taken on Friday, Saturday and on other public holidays to cover the losses caused by the hartal and blockade, it said.

The directive was given at a views-exchange meeting with the vice-chancellors, pro-VCs and deans of the public and private universities at the UGC Agargaon office. UGC Chairman AK Azad Chowdhury presided over the meeting.

It was observed at the meeting that a congenial atmosphere has to be restored at the higher educational institutions at any cost by keeping the public and private universities open during the hartal and blockade.

Vice-chancellors of the universities agreed to keep the universities open to reduce the session jam.

Speaking on the occasion, AK Azad Chowdhury said, “All the universities will remain open at their own initiative during hartal and blockade. Classes and examinations will continue regularly. We must reduce session jam. If necessary, classes and exams will be held on Friday and Saturday.”

At the meeting, Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique claimed that classes and exams are held at their university regularly during the political turmoil.

He also urged the political parties to keep the education sector outside the purview of any political programme for ensuring a healthy educational environment.

Khulna University VC Prof Mohammad Faequzzama said they need to operate university vehicles to take classes regularly and ensure cent percent presence of students. “But we can’t run our transports during hartal and blockade as anything can happen anytime. It can’t continue for long.”

Noting that they can take classes and exams even amid the hartal and blockade, Jahangirnagar University VC Prof Farzana Islam posed a question, “But who will ensure safety and security to our students as they travel from outside the campus?”

She continued: “Our vehicles carrying students can be attacked anywhere anytime. Yet we have to take a brave decision for the sake our students.”