Students call for hunger strike demanding relocation of Fine Arts Institute to CU main campus

Students of the Institute of Fine Arts under the University of Chittagong have announced an indefinite hunger strike, protesting the university administration's failure to meet their long-standing demand to relocate the institute to the university's main campus.

At a press conference on Monday afternoon on Badsha Mia Road in Chattogram, the students formally announced the beginning of their hunger strike. 

The protest was marked with the slogan: "Relocate to main campus or death by hunger."

Originally established in 2010 by affiliating the former Chattogram Charukola College with Chittagong University, the Institute of Fine Arts has operated from a temporary rented building 22 kilometers away from the university's main campus. 

Students have long complained about inadequate facilities, high living costs, and a lack of cultural and academic environment at the current location.

Their latest wave of protests began after the university administration reportedly missed its promised deadline of 1 April to begin classes at the main campus. 

The administration had previously pledged on 12 December, to relocate the institute by 31 March, following student protests that began in November 2023.

"We were promised classes would begin at the main campus from 1 April. That didn't happen," said Khandakar Masrul Al Fahim, a master's student at the institute. 

"Now they claim they can't proceed because the institute's administration isn't cooperating. We've had enough. Our hunger strike will continue until a formal decision is issued by the university syndicate."

In a written statement distributed at the press conference, students decried years of what they called neglect and discrimination. 

"For 14 years, we've endured poor facilities, no cultural space, limited classrooms, and daily commuting hardships," the statement read.

Calling the university's response "fascist" in nature, the students stressed that they would no longer accept empty promises. 

"We demand action, not assurances. Either the Institute of Fine Arts is relocated immediately to the main campus, or this strike continues. We are clear, united, and unwavering in our demand," the statement concluded.

As of now, university authorities have not issued any new statement regarding the situation.