Jagannath University (JnU) in Bangladesh
Dhaka, May 14 (V7N) – Students of Jagannath University (JnU) in Bangladesh have announced a protest campaign titled “Long March to Jamuna”, set to begin on Wednesday at 11 AM, to press home a four-point demand that includes increased university budget allocation and housing allowances for students. The announcement came late Tuesday night at the university's Shaheed Minar, under the platform named “JnU Oikya”.
The demands include:
Full approval of the proposed Tk 3.05 billion budget for the university without any cuts,
Housing allowance for 70% of students,
Improved academic and administrative infrastructure, and
Institutional autonomy and transparency in budget implementation.
A.K.M. Rakib, president of the university unit of Chhatra Odhikar Parishad, told reporters,
“On Tuesday, we met with the Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC) and submitted our demands. We clearly stated that the Tk 305 crore (3.05 billion) budget proposal should not be slashed and that at least 70% of students must receive housing allowances. However, the UGC did not give us any concrete assurance, only vague promises.”
Frustrated by what they described as a lack of satisfactory response from the UGC, student leaders announced the launch of the long march as a symbolic and direct action to draw national attention to their demands.
“Until our demands are met, we will not attend any classes or sit for any exams,” Rakib added, emphasizing the students’ determination to continue their protest.
The campaign is titled “Long March to Jamuna” in reference to Jamuna Future Park, near the UGC office in Dhaka, symbolizing their destination of protest. The students plan to march from their campus in Savar to the capital.
The protest reflects growing unrest among students regarding limited residential facilities, lack of academic support, and what they perceive as bureaucratic negligence in budget handling. Students argue that a significant portion of JnU's population comes from outside Dhaka and suffers due to high accommodation costs in the capital.
While university administration has yet to make an official statement, the movement has begun to draw attention on social media, with student groups and activists showing solidarity.