Congratulating the Dhaka University Senate decision to construct a women students' hall naming after Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, 50 Senate members and 445 teachers yesterday urged the countrymen not to be confused by any propaganda over the issue.

The DU teachers in a statement said Khaleda assured the students on December 22, 2003 that the

government would allocate the railway land near Curzon Hall for constructing a female student hall.

A project for construction of the hall is waiting for Executive Committee for National Economic Council (Ecnec) approval, they said. Besides, a number of halls have been constructed at different universities in the name of living persons, including Fazlul Haque Hall, they added.

They urged all to refrain from all propaganda over the proposed female hall naming after Khaleda Zia.

The signatories to the statements include Prof Mohammad Shafiqur Rahman, Prof Mohammad Asaduzzaman, Prof Syed Abul Kalam Azad, Prof MA Sattar, Prof Waqil Ahmed, Prof Zahidul Islam, Prof Atiqur Rahman, Prof Mohammad Sirajul Islam and among others.

Earlier, 18 Senate members and 380 teachers of the university issued statements protesting the DU authority's decision to name a female hall after Khaleda Zia. They also demanded restoration of its name after Begum Sufia Kamal.

Meanwhile, seven opposition-backed student organisations led by the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), student wing of the opposition Awami League yesterday demanded that the proposed name of a female student's hall of Dhaka University (DU) after Prime Minister Khaleda Zia should be cancelled to restore its name after Begum Sufia Kamal.

At a press conference at the Madhu's canteen, the student combine also protested the university authority's decision to change the names of Fazlul Haque Hall and Salimullah Hall.

The students combine would stage demonstration on the campus today, form a human chain on July 10, lay seige to the Vice Chancellor's office and submit memorandum on July 12 and a solidarity rally at the Central Shaheed Minar on July 15 to press home their demands.

Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-backed BCL President Shariful Kabir Swapon read out the written statement while BCL President Liaqat Sikder and General Secretary Nazrul Islam Babu also spoke.