The Acting President Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed said firm actions are necessary to stem violence in the campus but expressed doubts whether all quarters would extend whole-hearted support and cooperation to the police if extreme measures are taken, reports BSS.

The Acting President told an eight-member delegation of the Dhaka University Syndicate led by Vice Chancellor Prof Manlruzzaman Mia he would consider the suggestion of the delegation for calling a grand meeting of the political parties seeking their cooperation to free the campus of arms The delegation met the Acting President, who is also Chancellor of the universities. Saturday to apprise him of the situation facing the university due to continuous presence of arms and fierce rivalry between student fronts in the campus.

The members of the delegation said recurrence of violent activities by the rival student fronts had vitiated the academic atmosphere.

They met the Acting President at the President's Secretariat and urged the government to take immediate measures for freeing the

campus of illegal arms.

They said political parties could help reduce rivalry and tension between student organisations and urged the Acting president to convene a grand meeting of political parties for obtaining a pledge from them against arming their respective student fronts.

They blamed the police's indifference during the recent incidents of exchange of fire between rival student fronts In the university campus. They said the police should have acted on their own to stem the violence.

The Acting President agreed with the delegation that the campus must be free from violence but disagreed with their views that the police were indifferent at the time of the violent activities of the students in the campus.

He reminded the delegation that the police have to take all steps in the campus in consultations with the university authorities and that the police are to excerclse utmost restraint tn such matters.