SUST Hunger Strike: 12 Students Hospitalised

Twelve of the 24 students of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) on an indefinite hunger strike since Wednesday have been hospitalised by Friday afternoon, reports UNB.

Demanding the resignation of the university's Vice-Chancellor Farid Uddin Ahmed, 24 students commenced fast-unto-death on Wednesday afternoon.

In the two days since, most of the protesting students fell ill, UNB has learnt.

While twelve students have been hospitalised after their blood sugar levels dropped, all remaining students were being given intravenous saline at the venue.

One student left the venue in the early hours of Friday as his relative fell sick.

The protesting students have vowed not to break their fast until the VC steps down.

In the small hours of Friday, the protesting students also brought out a torch rally and burnt the effigy of the VC on the campus.

Hours back, a delegation of teachers met the students and requested them to break their fast. But the students didn’t respond to their request.

On Monday, the protesting students wrote an open letter to President Abdul Hamid, the chancellor of the university, demanding the immediate removal of the VC.

The students also rejected the notice of shutting down the university for an indefinite period and the direction to leave the halls. Currently, the students are staying on the campus.

SUST was to close, following a clash on the campus between police and the protesting students on Sunday. Its students were asked to leave the dormitories by 12:00pm on Monday.

Provost of Begum Sirajunnesa Chowdhury Hall, Zafrin Ahmed was at the centre of the trouble, having reportedly misbehaved with some students. She has already resigned from her post, citing health issues.

Dr Nazia Chowdhury a teacher of the Physics department has been appointed in her place.

The removal of Zafrin as the provost of the residential hall for female students was one of the principal demands of the students protesting on the campus.