9 CU students on hunger strike, press 7 demands, including resignation of proctorial body
While the students remain steadfast in their demands, the administration has described the action as an attempt to create disorder on campus.
Nine students of Chittagong University (CU) continued their hunger strike as of 10pm today (11 September), raising seven demands, including the resignation of the proctorial body. The protest began on Wednesday afternoon in front of the university's proctor's office.
While the students remain steadfast in their demands, the administration has described the action as an attempt to create disorder on campus.
CU acting registrar Professor Mohammad Saiful Islam said, "We are doing our best to restore the academic environment of the university. They are now trying to create chaos in this environment. Those who seek to cause unrest will not receive support from the students."
The students' seven-point list of demands includes publishing a full list of students who were injured during the violent confrontation with the locals and arranging proper medical treatment, providing quality mobile accommodation for non-resident students, recovering the belongings of displaced students, ensuring the safety of identified students, bringing the real culprits to justice while preventing harassment of innocent locals, forming a joint committee to resolve conflicts, and publishing and implementing a safe campus roadmap. They have also demanded that the proctorial body publicly apologise for the injuries and resign.
The students participating in the strike are Omar Shamudra and Dhrubo Barua from the Bengali Department; Isha De and Zashad Zakir from the Music Department; Rama Sain Marma from the Sports Science Department; Ahmed Mughdha and Naeem Shajan from the English Department; and Sumaiya Sikder from the Marketing Department.
Naeem Shajan told The Business Standard that when they tried to discuss the issues, they were placated in various ways, and essentially, none of their demands were met.
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"We started the hunger strike to ensure our demands are fulfilled," he said. "Till now, no one from the administration has contacted us. Various propaganda is being spread against us, but we remain firm in our demands."
