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Students of Jagannath University on Sunday began a hunger strike with their three-point demands, including the transfer of construction responsibilities for the university’s new campus in Keraniganj in Dhaka to the army.

They began the protest at the Shaheed Minar on the university campus.

Students also called for the immediate initiation and completion of the steel-based construction of the Bani Bhaban and Dr Habibur Rahman Hall in the Old Dhaka.

Additionally, they demanded that 70 per cent of students should be provided with housing allowances until adequate accommodation was arranged.

Speaking at the protest, students highlighted that the JnU had long been neglected despite being located in Dhaka.

They also expressed frustration over years of deprivation of basic facilities such as proper educational environments, safety and housing.

They said that they hoped for progress after the July-August uprising, but the lack of visible efforts had forced them to adopt such measures.

Mehedi Hasan, an English department student, said that in November past year, during a secretariat blockade, officials assured them that the administration could hand over the project to the army. ‘Yet, after two months, nothing has been done. We refuse to hear more bureaucratic excuses and will continue our strike until our demands are met.’

The strike garnered support from the JnU Teachers’ Association and several student organisations, who declared the demands to be justified.

AKM Abdur Rakib, president of the JnU Student Rights Council, mentioned that they had supported the demand for transferring construction to the army since the beginning. ‘However, despite repeated promises over the past two months, no action has been taken.’

‘Unless an agreement is signed in the presence of the army, ministry officials, and the JnU administration, we will continue our strike,’ he added.

Responding to the situation, JnU vice-chancellor, Professor Rezaul Karim, stated that they had already written to the University Grants Commission about the handing over of the project to the Bangladesh Army. ‘Progress is on-going and we need more time.’

He also declined to provide specifics timeline about it, stating, ‘If I commit to three days and it takes five, my credibility will be questioned. All I can say is that we are working on it.’

Regarding allegations against the controversial appointment of a new project director, the VC remarked, ‘Amirul Islam has been appointed as PD temporarily. If there are corruption allegations, the investigation committee will handle it. We are working to form a UGC-led committee for this purpose.’

The students vowed to persist with their protest until their demands were fully addressed.