BRUR Students Launch Hunger Strike for Student Union Election Roadmap

Students at Begum Rokeya University (BRUR) in Rangpur have launched an indefinite hunger strike, demanding a clear roadmap for the university’s student union (BRUCSU) elections. The protest kicked off at 11 a.m. on Sunday, August 17, 2025, in front of the university’s administrative building, with students vowing to continue until their demands are met.

Wielding placards with slogans like “Freedom won in July, student union will make it complete,” “One demand, one call: when will you give us student union?” and “The day Saeed bared his chest, fear vanished,” the students underscored their resolve. The reference to Saeed, a nod to martyr Abu Saeed, ties their cause to the broader struggle for justice post the July-August 2024 uprising.

The protesters, frustrated by the administration’s inaction, noted that a five-day ultimatum issued on August 12 expired without any concrete response. “In 17 years since BRUR’s founding, no student union election has been held,” said a striking student. “We’ve heard promises before, but this time, we won’t break our fast without a written roadmap.”

Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Md. Shawkat Ali, addressing journalists, called issuing a roadmap without a gazetted constitution “an anti-state crime.” He explained that the absence of presidential approval for the necessary legal framework prevents the university from announcing a direct election plan. However, students argue that delays in securing this approval—despite a draft sent to the UGC and forwarded to the Education Ministry—reflect administrative foot-dragging.

The students’ campaign, fueled by months of prior actions like leaflet distribution, memoranda, human chains, and press conferences, stems from a deeper call for democratic representation. They link the absence of a student union to the stifling of campus voices, a grievance amplified since the August 5, 2024, political shift. With placards proclaiming “Student union is our right,” the strikers demand action by September 25, 2025, warning of escalated protests, including locking administrative offices, if ignored.