The Jahangirnagar University Syndicate has decided to file criminal cases today against four leaders of the ruling party-backed Bangladesh Chhatra League who were identified as rapists and punished for different terms last year,

The four are former general secretary of JU unit of BCL Jasimuddin Manik and unit leaders Mohammad Ali Dallas. Miradul Islam and Atiqur Rahman Naim.

The Syndicate at a special meeting held at the Administrative Building yesterday also decided to ask law enforcing agencies to arrest the 13 chargesheeted accused in the Ananda murder case.

It postponed all-examinations at the university till August 14 and directed the students

—both male and female--to return to their respective halls by 8:30 pm till the campus situation improves.

BCL leader Ananda Ghosh was killed in a clash between two rival factions on the campus on November 3,1997.

The Syndicate decisions followed mounting student demonstrations demanding filing of criminal cases against the identified rapists and killers and expulsion of all of them from the university.

Meanwhile, the agitating General Students' Unity (GSU) promptly rejected the decisions and reiterated its demands for expulsion of all the rapists and killers.The GSU leaders told reporters that they would continue their agitation till the demands were met. They alleged that the authorities were trying to 'save' the rapists by filing rape cases only.

The GSU demanded steps to ensure that the rapists and killers can never return to the campus.

Angry GSU activists gheraoed the venue while the syndicate meeting was on and did not allow the syndicate members to leave even one and a half hour after the meeting .

They asked the syndicate members why they had refused to file criminal cases during the student agitations last year but agreed to do so now. They v'ere told that the decision was taken as the rapist group returned to the campus with arms and captured halls.

The students were asked to submit specific allegations for further action in this regard.

GSU will gherao the Vice Chancellor's (VC) office at 10 a.m. today to press their demands.

Earlier. GSU leaders submilted memorandum to all the syndicate members while the meeting was on . The memo* randum contained demands including cancellation of certificates of the rapists and killers and end to harassment of students in the name of 'Task Force for ensuring security’ and cancellation of the rule lor return of female students to halls by 8 p.m.