Eight students of Jahangirnagar University (JU) have launched an indefinite hunger strike in solidarity with the ongoing student movement at Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (Kuet), demanding the resignation of the Kuet vice-vhancellor.
The students declared that if no announcement of the vice-chancellor’s resignation is made by this evening, they will move their protest to the Dhaka-Aricha highway and continue their hunger strike there.
The hunger strike began at 12:30pm on Wednesday at the university's Mahua stage, under the banner of the Bangladesh Democratic Student Union.
Ziauddin Ayan, one of the eight students, said that the strike was a show of solidarity with Kuet students.
“While the students at Kuet are being hospitalized due to deteriorating health, the interim administration remains unresponsive. This administration, formed over the blood of July, is betraying the students. We declare in the strongest terms: if the partisan Kuet VC Masud is not removed by this evening, we will launch a nationwide blockade and continue our hunger strike on the Dhaka-Aricha highway.”
Touhid Siam, senior joint convener of Bangladesh Democratic Student Union, added: “This interim government was formed on the bloodshed of July and it includes two student advisers who remain silent on crucial student issues. If even one student is harmed over the Kuet matter and if Vice-Chancellor Masud does not resign, those advisers have no moral right to remain in office. They should resign acknowledging their failure.”
In a subsequent social media post, he wrote: “Our Kuet brothers and sisters are on the brink of death. It has been almost 48 hours—they haven’t even had water. We are also preparing for death. This is the lesson of July. We need no interim authority. The student advisers have already lost their legitimacy. We will fulfill our demands ourselves.”
He further said: “If our demands are not met, we will impose a full blockade. Our hunger strike will continue on the highway. If any student across the country is harmed in this issue, it will be the final nail in the coffin of the interim authority. Stand with Kuet now—tomorrow you may find no one standing with you.”
