Several hundred more teachers and students of Jagannath University joined the ongoing student protest at Kakrail intersection in Dhaka on Wednesday afternoon.
They arrived on eight university buses and stood in solidarity with the demonstrators already present there.
Among them were the university’s vice chancellor professor Md Rezaul Karim, and treasurer professor Sabina Sharmin.
Earlier in the day, around 2:00pm, nearly 200 students regrouped at Kakrail after being dispersed by police using batons, tear gas, and sound grenades. They began demonstrating again at the intersection, blocking a key traffic point in the capital.
Later in the afternoon, the additional group of teachers and students joined them, chanting slogans in support of their demands.
The protesting students said they would not call off their movement until action is taken against those involved in the sudden attack on Jagannath University teachers and students.
They also demanded accountability for the assistant commissioner (AC) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Ramna Division for allegedly allowing the attack.
Professor Md Rais Uddin, general secretary of the Jagannath University Teachers’ Association, was injured in the clash.
Speaking to reporters, he said, “We will not leave until there is justice for the police attack on students and our demands are met.”
Joining the protest, university proctor professor Tazammul Haque said, “Police attacked our teachers and students. Even the assistant proctor was injured by the police. Their behaviour towards a fair student movement was inhumane. We won’t leave until justice is served.”
Meanwhile, around 5:00pm, a five-member delegation of Jagannath University teachers, led by the VC, went to the residence of the chief adviser at Jamuna. They were inside Jamuna when this report was filed at 8:00pm.
Earlier that afternoon, a delegation of students and teachers had met with the University Grants Commission (UGC). However, as no satisfactory announcement came from the UGC regarding the three-point demand of the students, they declared the ‘Long March to Jamuna’ in protest.
The Jagannath University Teachers’ Association, JnU unit of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, Chhatra Odhikar Parishad, Samajtantrik Chhatra Front, Islami Chhatra Shibir, Ganatantrik Chhatra Sangsad, Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, and leaders of various cultural organisations participated in the long march.
The three-point demands are:
1. A housing allowance must be allocated for 70 per cent of Jagannath University students from the 2025–26 fiscal year until proper housing arrangement is ensured;
2. The proposed full budget for Jagannath University for the FY2025–26 must be approved without any amendment.
3. The construction work of Jagannath University’s second campus must be implemented as a priority project after approving it in the next Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) meeting.
Injured JnU students return to protest after treatment
Nearly 50 students from JnU were injured during a clash with police while marching towards Jamuna. Among them, 36 received initial treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Despite their injuries, many of them rejoined the protest in the afternoon.
Omar Faruk, a student of the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, said, “Police kicked me in the chest and hit my neck with a baton. I was at the hospital for about two hours. The physicians prescribed 10 days of bed rest. Everyone urged me to go home—but I didn’t feel like it. I’ve rejoined my fellow students to fight for our demands.”
Another student from the same department, Muntasir Nadib Sangram, said he suffered a fracture in his right hand due to police beating.
“I couldn’t accept lying in a hospital bed while my classmates continued the protest. That’s why I came back despite my condition,” he said.