Titumir College student protesters end road blockade, continue hunger strike

The “Titumir Oikya” student protesters’ Facebook group announced at 3am on Friday that the protestors would hold Jummah prayers on the road

Student protesters from Dhaka’s Government Titumir College are continuing a hunger strike for a second day demanding the institution be transformed into a university.

In an announcement on the official Facebook page of the student protesters’ group “Titumir Oikya,” at 3am on Friday, the demonstrators said they would hold Jummah prayers on the road.

They began the protest programme around 12pm on Thursday on the road in front of their campus. The road blockade continued as late as 1:15am on Friday. The blockade brought traffic to a standstill from Mohakhali to Gulshan, causing severe congestion on nearby roads.

Meanwhile, the students on hunger strike left the road and took up positions near the main entrance to the college at 4am. This cleared the path and allowed the traffic flow to return to normal from Mohakhali to Gulshan.

Education ministry Joint Secretary Md Nuruzzaman spoke to the demonstrators at 8:45pm during their blockade programme.

He urged them to withdraw the hunger strike, assuring them he would convey their demands to the higher officials in the government. However, the students refused.

“We don’t believe the assurances they have given. They gave us assurances many times in the past. We’ll continue our programme,” said Roman, a student in the Department of Sociology at the college.

At least seven demonstrators on hunger strike fell ill and received first aid at Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital, the students said. Rana Ahmed, a student of the Department of Bengali, and Aminul Islam, a student of the Department of Mathematics, were hospitalised.