DHAKA: About 2,000 Sri Lankan university students blocked traffic as they shouted slogans outside the capital’s main railroad station on Friday to protest a government decision to close state universities during a summit of leaders from Commonwealth countries next week.

The university authorities announced on Wednesday that a one-week vacation would be given to students during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, which will be held from November 12 to November 17 in Colombo, Sri Lanka’s capital.

They asked students to move out from dormitories, saying they need to be renovated.

The convener of the University Students’ Federation Sanjeewa Bandara condemned the decision, saying the move was aimed at restricting students from staging protests during the summit, reports The Straits Times.

‘This decision has been taken without any justifiable basis. The government fears that student protests may erupt against this useless summit, damaging the government’s so-called image,’ Bandara said at the demonstration, adding that ‘the summit is an utter waste of public money and will not benefit the people’.

BDST: 1921 HRS, NOV 08, 2013
RoR/RIS