Seven students at Barishal University have been on a continuous hunger strike since Thursday night, demanding improvements in campus infrastructure and other issues. In a remarkable gesture of solidarity, Vice-Chancellor Mohammad Tawfiq Alam spent the night alongside the students.
At around 1 a.m., the VC joined the students, setting up a mosquito net beside them. Earlier, he reassured the students that the administration was working at full capacity to meet their reasonable demands, promising progress within a week. However, the students vowed to continue their strike until their demands are fully addressed.
The protest involves requests for infrastructural expansion, campus area enlargement, and improved transportation for the 50-acre campus. Earlier on Thursday, the students also blocked the Barishal-Kuakata highway to press their demands. The university proctor noted that land acquisition and other development initiatives are ongoing, but a lack of trust has pushed students to resort to a hunger strike.