RU students observe hunger strike for 8.5 hrs demanding removal of Kuet VC
Asked about their hunger strike, Salahuddin said, “We have started the hunger strike in full solidarity with our brothers and sisters at Kuet.”
A group of Rajshahi University (RU) students are observing a hunger strike in solidarity with students from Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (Kuet) with the demand to remove Kuet VC Mohammad Mashud from office.
The RU students began their hunger strike in front of the Syed Nazrul Islam Administrative Building around 10am today (23 April).
The students have been continuing their hunger strike as of filing this report at 7:35pm.
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The agitating students have announced that they will continue their hunger strike till Mashud is removed from office, our correspondent reports.
The students who have participated in the hunger strike are- ex-coordinator of Students Against Discrimination RU unit Salahuddin Ammar and Md Ataullah, Naim Alam and Mousi from Mathematics department and Ismail Hossain and Ariful Islam from Islamic Studies department.
Asked about their hunger strike, Salahuddin said, "We have started the hunger strike in full solidarity with our brothers and sisters at Kuet."
"Yesterday (22 April), the Kuet VC said most of the students don't want his removal. We have begun hunger strikes at our own campuses across the country to make him understand if the majority of the students want him to go or not," Salahuddin said.
Ataullah said, "The conscious students of RU have begun a hunger strike since 10am demanding the removal of Kuet VC. They will continue their protest until VC Mashud is removed from office."
Asked about the opening of halls by Kuet authorities, Salahuddin said, "We will see what decision the Kuet students make. We will discuss the matter with the students at Dhaka University, Jahangirnagar University and Khulna University and reach a decision."
"Till now, we are firm with our demand of removing VC Mashud from office," Salahuddin added.
Meanwhile, Gonotantrik Chhatra Jote, the coalition of left-leaning political parties of RU, had brought out a torch procession in solidarity with the Kuet students.
The coalition brought out the torch procession from Amtala Chattar at the university's Paribahan Market area around 7:30pm and held a small rally in front of the Martyrs' Memorial of the university after making rounds of the campus last night (22 April), said sources.
During the procession, the students chanted various slogans, including "One, two, three, four, Mashud please leave your post" and "Light fire on Kuet VC's chair together."
