JnU protesters vow to continue their movement with rally and hunger strike

The protesting students and teachers of Jagannath University (JnU) have announced fresh programmes, including a mass hunger strike, to press home their four-point demands.

As part of the protest, a rally is scheduled to be held in front of Kakrail Mosque at 10:00 am, followed by a hunger strike after Jummah prayer.

Prof Rais Uddin, general secretary of the JnU Teachers’ Association, announced the programmes at midnight on Thursday.

He said, “We have come to assert our rights. Police have indiscriminately attacked us. This is injustice. We will not go home without fulfilling our demands.”

The teachers’ leader warned that the movement will continue until a clear declaration regarding the demands is made.

Protesting the attack on students and teachers, May 14 was declared a ‘Black Day’ for the university.

Their demands are: a housing allowance scholarship for 70 per cent of students starting in the 2025–26 fiscal year, full approval of the university’s proposed budget without cuts, final approval and implementation of the second campus at the Ecnec meeting, and a fair investigation into the May 14 police action with exemplary punishment for those responsible.

The protests led by students and teachers turned violent on Wednesday when they attempted to march towards the chief adviser’s residence, Jamuna.

Police fired tear gas, sound grenades, and used hot water to disperse them when they reached the Kakrail Mosque area.

Police also charged batons on the protesters, leaving over a hundred injured, including students, teachers, and journalists.

Students continued their sit-in at Kakrail for the second consecutive day on Thursday, with some even spending the night sleeping on the street to press home their demands.

Tensions worsened further on Wednesday night when Information Adviser Mahfuj Alam attempted to address students in Kakrail.

He was hit on the head by a plastic water bottle thrown from the crowd while addressing the protesters.