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Published : 06 Sep 2025, 01:37 AM
Protesting students at Barishal University have called off their hunger strike after receiving assurances from the vice-chancellor that their demands would be met.
VC Prof Mohammad Taufiq Alam convinced the protesters to break their fast around 9:30pm, nearly 24 hours after the hunger strike began.
Sujoy Shuvo, organising secretary of the central committee of the Student Democratic Student Council, said: “The vice-chancellor has given a written roadmap for the development of Barishal University. Based on his assurances, the students have withdrawn the hunger strike. The sick students are now healthy.”
The roadmap signed by the vice-chancellor states that four demands will be met. They are:
1. Appoint a project director (PD) for the development project and complete the feasibility study of the university’s infrastructure development project within six months.
2. Increase the number of buses by determining the demand for student bus seats on different routes by Tuesday.
3. Submit an application by Sunday to obtain a special clearance from the ministry to purchase another ambulance for the university.
4. Revaluation of the campus area and land within the next 15 working days.
To push for these demands, seven students began a hunger strike to the death on the ground floor of the university’s academic building from 9:30am on Thursday.
They were Sharmila Zaman Senjuti, a student of the Department of English, Amiya Mondal, a student of the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, Tajul Islam, a student of the Department of Accounting and Information Systems, Abu Bakr Siddique, a student of the Department of Chemistry, Piyal Hasan, a student of the Department of Philosophy, Tamim Ahmed Riaz, a student of the Department of Public Administration, and Shawkat Osman, a student of the Department of Law.
Around midnight on Thursday, Vice-Chancellor Taufiq attempted to convince the students to call off their strike by informing them about various initiatives to fulfil their demands.
But the students announced that they would continue the hunger strike until they received a notification from the University Grants Commission and the ministry.
Around 1am, the vice-chancellor pulled out a mosquito net and lay down next to the students on hunger strike.
He remained there until 9am.
On Friday afternoon, striking student Sharmila fell ill. She was given saline on the spot.
The students said that on Friday night, Vice Chancellor Taufiq came to the hunger strike site with the “Development Roadmap of Barishal University”. He assured the students of taking all possible initiatives to fulfil their demands.
But the hunger strikers were unwilling to call off the hunger strike without a letter from the UGC and the Ministry of Education.
However, when the vice chancellor pleaded while clasping his hands, they agreed to call off the strike.
University Proctor Rahat Hossain Faisal said, "We have the action plans. They have been given to the students in draft form. The students called off their hunger strike based on the assurances of the vice chancellor. The students who were on the strike are doing well."
