Dhaka University students Saturday staged silent protests, demanding the release of detained teachers and students.

Over 800 students under the banner of Nirjatonbirodhi Chhatra Jote, a new students' outfit, started the demonstration at Aparajeya Bangla.

They took to the streets wearing black badges and white and red cloths around their heads, bdnews24.com's Jannatul Ferdous reports from the campus.

The programme for Thursday includes class boycott from 11:00am to 1:00pm and hoisting black flags atop administrative buildings.

Many demonstrators flocked to Madhu's Canteen, a popular rallying point.

Traffic came to a halt on the road past Curzon Hall as some 300 students formed a human chain there at 11:50am.

Demonstrators posted leaflets on the walls with calls for the release of detainees, withdrawal of cases and trial of 'war criminals'.

They also demanded resignation of vice-chancellor SMA Faiz who they said failed to ensure security of teachers and students.