JnU students block road in front of Secretariat over 3-point demand
The hunger strike called by some students yesterday, continues today with a three-point demand, including handing over the construction project of the second campus to the army
Jagannath University (JnU) students staged a sit-in in front of the Bangladesh Secretariat today (13 January) to press home their three-point demand that includes handing over the university's second campus construction project to the army.
The students started a march from the university's main gate at 4pm and reached the Secretariat around 4:45pm.
Mehedi Hasan Shakil, assistant commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Traffic-Shahbagh Zone, told The Business Standard that the students blocked the road in front of the Secretariat around 5pm.
Vehicular movement remains halted on the road as of 6:45pm.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Around 2pm today, a letter was issued from the Secretariat regarding handing over the work of the second campus construction to the army.
The university's treasurer Professor Sabina Sharmin said a meeting with the officials of the Ministry of Education, University Grants Commission, and the Ministry of Defense will be held next Wednesday.
The university administration will take the final decision on the matter in that meeting, she said.
However, after the announcement, the students proposed an amendment to the ministry's letter. They said that they would not break their hunger strike unless they were given a written commitment to accept the demands and would hold a mass march towards the secretariat at 4pm.
They later announced that they will continue their sit-in in front of the Secretariat tonight if there is no specific promise to fulfill their demands.
Earlier on the day, the students locked the university's main gate as part of the hunger strike that's been continuing for more than a day to press home their three-point demand.
Around 15 students have been hospitalised due to illness caused by the prolonged strike that began at 8:30am yesterday. The students did not call off the strike despite assurances from the vice-chancellor.
The sick students on hunger strike reportedly traveled by rickshaw to join the protesting students at Secretariat today.
The three-point demand also includes arranging temporary accommodation for students and providing housing allowances to 70% of students until such arrangements are made.
Students from various departments, including Botany, Political Science, Chemistry, and Marketing, expressed solidarity with the students on hunger strike by locking their departmental gates.
While pedestrian movement is allowed through a pocket gate, vehicles cannot access the campus due to the lock at the main gate.
