United News of Bangladesh

Students of Barishal University (BU) on Monday night began an indefinite hunger strike demanding the removal of Vice Chancellor Professor Sucharita Sharmin, against whom they were already embroiled in a movement stretching back over four weeks. Till now, the students had organised sit-ins on campus, torch processions on the Dhaka-Kuakata highway, blockades, and press briefings, besides locking the Vice Chancellor’s residence, to press home their demand.  Today's move raises the stakes of the movement, although the demand remains the same. The announcement of the wildcat hunger strike came during an emergency press briefing where student leader Sujoy Shuvo declared Dr. Sharmin ‘unwanted’ on campus. The students started the strike at 9:30pm. Apparently the VC has not communicated with students at any point during their 28-day-long protest, instead choosing to address the situation via a Facebook livestream recently. “We reject this fascist leadership],” Shuvo said. Barishal University students begin academic shutdown