Jagannath University (JnU) students have ended their hunger strike after 35 hours but have announced the continuation of their campus shutdown program.
The announcement was made by AKM Rakib, a student from the Department of Botany, during a press briefing in front of the Secretariat at 7:00 PM on Monday.
Earlier in the day, the protesting students, including those who were ill, marched toward the Secretariat from the university campus at 4:00 PM. They reached the Secretariat at approximately 5.00 PM. Some of the ill students, connected to IV stands, participated in the march in rickshaws, accompanied by over 500 others.
During the press conference, AKM Rakib stated, "We have received written assurances that an agreement to transfer the work on the second campus to the Bangladesh Army will be signed during Wednesday's meeting. We have also been promised the construction of temporary steel-based buildings for Bani Bhaban and Dr. Habibur Rahman Hall. Regarding the 70% housing allowance, we have been assured that this matter will be reviewed and discussed further. Based on these assurances, we are withdrawing our hunger strike. However, until the Wednesday meeting, all academic and administrative activities at the university will remain suspended as part of our campus shutdown program."
Earlier in the afternoon, the Ministry of Education issued a letter stating that a meeting on Wednesday, will discuss the handover of the second campus project to the Army.
The campus shutdown program began Monday morning when students locked the university's main gate and key academic buildings. As a result, all academic and administrative activities were suspended and no classes or exams were held.
Dr. Sabina Sharmin, Treasurer of Jagannath University, commented on the development, saying, "Our students risked their lives for the university and for better housing facilities. We hope the second campus project will now be expedited."
Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Rezaul Karim also praised the students' activism, stating, "The students' movement has accelerated the process significantly. Much of the groundwork is already in progress. The upcoming meeting will evaluate the project's status, and we will discuss other pending issues related to our demands."
