Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University Professor Dr Md Akhtaruzzaman said on Wednesday the teachers, students, officials and employees of Dhaka University will always be vocal against and resistant to all kind of undemocratic and unconstitutional forces.

“The rise of unconstitutional and undemocratic forces is severely harmful to the country’s democracy, growth and development”, Akhtaruzzaman told a discussion marking the Black Day of the university at TSC auditorium of the university.

Dr Akhtaruzzaman urged everyone to speed up the practice of constitutional and democratic values ??as well as to remain vigilant against any kind of inhumane, undemocratic, unconstitutional and communal activities.

Dr Akhtaruzzaman said on this day in 2007, some wrongdoers of a national institution wanted to misuse their power in an undemocratic way through intimidation and terrorist activities.

“However, the students of the university have always been active against any kind of inhuman, undemocratic, communal activities and extremism,” he added.

“In the face of the collective protests of the teachers and students of Dhaka University, the power-hungry evil force was forced to retreat and democracy was re-established in the country,” he added.

DU Pro-VC (Administration) Dr Mohammad Samad, DU Pro-VC (Academic) Dr ASM Maksud Kamal, Treasurer Md Mamtaj Uddin Ahmed, DU Teachers Association President Dr Nizamul Hoque Bhuiyan, General Secretary Dr Zeenat Huda, DU Registrar Probir Kumar Sarker, tortured teacher Professor Dr Anwar Hossen, DU BCL General Secretary Tanbir Hasan Shaikat were present at the discussion.

On August 20, 2007 army personnel assaulted three students and insulted a teacher of DU at the gymnasium playground during a football match, triggering clashes between police and students at DU and other educational institutions across the country.

On the night of August 23, the military arrested four teachers and eight students of the university, and reportedly tortured them.

One person was killed in Rajshahi and several hundred injured during the clashes across the country.

Since then, the university has been observing August 23 as Black Day every year.