Dhaka: Students of Jagannath University (JnU) began a mass hunger strike today at the Kakrail intersection, intensifying their ongoing protest to press for four major demands.
The decision was formally announced by Mahtab Limon, General Secretary of the Jagannath University Journalists' Association, speaking on behalf of “JnU Oikko,” a united front of students, faculty, and other university stakeholders.
“Our movement has reached a critical juncture. There is no stepping back now. The hunger strike begins and we won’t back down without achieving our goals,” Limon declared.
This marks the third consecutive day of student demonstrations at the busy Kakrail intersection. Earlier in the day, both teachers and students commenced their pre-scheduled protest programs. The area has since filled with chants and slogans as approximately 5,000 current and former students gathered to show solidarity.
The students’ four-point charter includes the immediate approval of a housing allowance for 70% of students starting in the 2025–26 fiscal year until adequate residential facilities are built, full approval of JnU’s proposed FY26 budget without any reductions, greenlighting the university’s second campus construction project as a top priority in the next ECNEC meeting, and accountability measures against police officers who allegedly assaulted students and faculty during a protest on Wednesday.
Despite the mounting pressure, the government has yet to make a conclusive announcement regarding the protesters’ demands.
