Md Tanvir Hossain, JnU

After receiving a written assurance from the ministry, students of Jagannath University (JnU) called off their 35-hour-long hunger strike and announced the suspension of all academic and administrative activities until the meeting scheduled for Wednesday.

AKM Rakib, a student from the Department of Botany, made this announcement at a press conference on Monday.

Earlier, at 4 PM, students began a march from the university campus toward the Secretariat. They reached the Secretariat around 4:45 PM, with some of the fasting students, who were unwell, joining the march on rickshaws with IV saline stands. Over 500 students participated in this march alongside those on hunger strike.

During the press conference, AKM Rakib stated, “We have received written assurance that an agreement to hand over the second campus project to the Bangladesh Army will be signed in Wednesday’s meeting. Additionally, temporary steel-based buildings will be constructed in Bani Bhaban and Dr. Habibur Rahman Hall. Furthermore, the ministry has assured us that 70% of students will be provided with allowances after proper verification and discussion. Considering these developments, we are withdrawing our hunger strike.”

He added, “As two of our three demands have been accepted and the third will be reviewed, we are ending our hunger strike. However, all academic and administrative activities at the university will remain suspended until Wednesday’s meeting.”

Earlier, in front of the Secretariat, students chanted slogans such as “Fearless JnUians,” “Action to Action, Direct Action,” “No Compromise, Only Struggle,” and “When Will We Get Our Campus?”

At 2 PM that day, the Ministry of Education issued a letter stating that a meeting regarding the handover of the second campus project to the Bangladesh Army would be held on Wednesday at the Secretariat. Following this, the protesting students presented three demands.