Twenty four students of Sylhet University of Science and Technology (SUST) continued their fasting, purportedly unto death, through the winter night demanding resignation of the university's vice-chancellor Farid Ahmed, in front of his university residence on Wednesday.
The students began the fast at around 2:50pm on Wednesday and were continuing the movement until filing of this report at 10:00 in the morning Thursday.
Many other students gathered there to support them and provide with moral courage.
Around 200 teachers of the university including its treasurer went at the spot of the demonstration on Wednesday night to extend their support to the students. The protesting students, however, told the teachers that they would be given the opportunity to address the students if they extend their support to the students’ demand of resignation of the vice-chancellor. The students began chanting slogans when the teachers wanted to address the students through megaphone.
SUST treasurer Anwarul Islam said, “We want justice for the attack on the students. No innocent must be punished. A high-level probe body needs to be formed. We agree with the students that whoever is found through investigations to be involved with the incident, must be tried. We wanted this opportunity from the students, in keeping with the law.”
Later, the teachers left the spot around 1:00am Thursday.
The students’ movement began on 13 January night when several hundred residential students of Begum Sirajunnesa Chowdhury Hall began movement on three points including the resignation of provost Jafrin Ahmed alleging her misbehaviour with students.
On 15 January, members of Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student wing of ruling Awami League, attacked the protesting students in the evening. On the next afternoon, the students confined the vice-chancellor of the university to the ICT Building. Police opened fire, hurled sound grenades and used batons to disperse the students.
On that night, the university authorities announced closure of the university for an indefinite period and asked the students to leave the dormitories.
Students have been conducting the protest demanding resignation of the VC, braving all odds.