Different pro-opposition student organisations yesterday staged demonstrations on the Dhaka University (DU) campus protesting the prime minister's visit to inaugurate the month-long Amar Ekushey Book Fair, while the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), student wing of the BNP, welcomed her on the Bangla Academy premises.

Several thousands of JCD leaders and activists stood by both sides of the Bangla Academy road to welcome the prime minister, also the BNP chairperson. They also chanted slogans for the prime minister.

JCD President Azizul Bari Helal, General Secretary Shafiul Bari Babu, Sultan Salauddin Tuku, Abdul Kader Bhuiyan Jewel, Amirul Islam Khan Alim, Asaduzzaman Asad, DU unit President Hasan Mamun, General Secretary Saiful Islam Firoz, Mamunur Rashid, Obaidul Haque Nasir and Akramul Hasan along with different college unit and Dhaka City unit leaders receive the prime minister.

Earlier in the morning JCD activists gathered at the Madhu's Canteen on the campus and brought out a procession that paraded the campus.

On the other hand, main opposition Awami League's (AL) student body Bangladesh Chhatra

League (BCL) and its six left leaning ally student organisations including Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-backed BCL, Jatiya Chhatra Dhara and Bangladesh Chhatra Moitri staged demonstrations at the Dhaka University Library Gate covering their faces with black scarves and showing black flags.

Later, police intercepted a BCL procession at the main gate of the DU Central Library while they tried to march towards the Bangla Academy. The BCL held a brief rally there.

Addressing the rally, BCL General Secretary Nazrul Islam Babu said the spirit of the historic language movement would be dishonoured with the inauguration of the Ekushey Book Fair by Khaleda Zia whose cabinet includes those who opposed the country's independence in 1971.

BCL President Liaqat Sikder said the prime minister has no right to inaugurate the great book fair, as her cabinet consists of communal forces.

Senior leaders of the students' combine including Marufa Akther Popy, Rafiqul Islam Kotowal, Baloram Podder, Saifuzzaman Shekhar, Zakir Hossain Maruf, Khan Moinul Islam Mostak, Delwar Hossain, Hemayet Uddin Khan Himu, Gaffer Dewan Razib and Imran Hossain attended the demonstration among others, where Shariful Kabir Swapan, Ali

Hasan Tarun, Mustak Ahmed, Jewel Ahmed Khan also spoke.

Progotishil Chhatra Jote (PCJ), a combine of six other left leaning student organisations including Bangladesh Chhatra Union, Bangladesh Chhatra Federation, Biplobi Chhatra Moitri also staged demonstration on the campus protesting the prime minister's book fair inauguration.

The PCJ brought out a procession and held a rally in front of Dhaka University Central Student's Union (Ducsu) Office. PCJ leaders Khalequzzaman Lipon, Baki Billah, Mosharraf Hossain and Abu Naser Anik addressed the rally.

Additional police and members of the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) were deployed around the campus to avert any untoward incidents.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Photo Journalists' Association in a statement said many of the senior photojournalists were not allowed inside the Bangla Academy to cover the book fair inauguration on the excuse of security concern.

Condemning the incident, the statement also demanded immediate investigation into the incident, punishment to the people responsible and government announcement of giving back the right to carry out professional duties.