JU students join global strike in solidarity with Gaza; massive protest erupts on Campus

In solidarity with the people of Gaza, students of Jahangirnagar University (JU) joined the global strike observed on April 7, 2025, by suspending academic and professional activities.

The university also expressed institutional support, observing a half-day office closure from 10 AM to 12 PM on April 7 and declaring all classes and examinations suspended for April 8.

As part of the protest, students gathered at the central Shaheed Minar at 4 PM on Monday. From there, they launched a protest march that moved through key points on campus before returning to the Shaheed Minar, where the demonstration concluded with a brief rally.

The event saw the participation of top university officials, including Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Kamrul Ahsan, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Administration) Professor Sohel Ahmed, and Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Mahfuzur Rahman. Faculty members, administrative staff, employees, and a large number of students also joined the protest, expressing their support for the cause.

During the protest march at Jahangirnagar University, students chanted a series of slogans in unison, including “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” “Hamas fighters, take salam, take salam,” “Long live the intifada,” and “Long live the revolution,” among others.

Samia Zaman, a student of the International Relations department, shared her disillusionment, saying, "Everything I study revolves around the promotion of peace and the protection of human rights. But when I see the ongoing genocide by Israel, it feels like my whole education has been a lie. All the organisations and resources dedicated to peace seem meaningless in the face of such brutality."

Mazharul Islam, a graduate of the English department, voiced sharp criticism of Western ideologies, stating, "I want to address two things that are the root cause of Palestine's current situation. First, the West has taught us the idea that religion and politics are not the same. The second one is that they are keeping our world's Muslim leaders blind. They are keeping our Muslim organisations inactive. For that reason, our Palestinian brothers and sisters around the world are not getting justice."

He added, "We want to say this loud and clear that we Muslims are not terrorists; you are the terrorists. You can take our lives with your gun, bomb and grenades, but you can't take our Iman (belief). The more you try to break us, the stronger we will become."

Addressing the rally, Vice-Chancellor Professor Kamrul Ahsan appealed to global moral responsibility: "As human beings, we must do what humanity demands of us. I am an ordinary person — I cannot do much directly. But I want to call out those prominent human rights activists who remain silent. If the blood of Muslims does not move you, you are not true defenders of rights. Your so-called activism is merely a tool to uphold capitalism. No economy or politics can justify the genocide in Gaza."