Students to continue strike, submit memorandum to President on Sunday

Hasnat Abdullah, one of the coordinators of the anti-discrimination student movement, said, "Our student strike will continue. In addition to this, we will submit a memorandum to President Mohammed Shahabuddin, and organize a mass march across the country on Sunday. Furthermore, students in various districts outside Dhaka will submit memorandums to the President through their respective District Commissioners tomorrow (Sunday)."

He made these remarks on Saurday at a press conference organized in front of the central library of Dhaka University, protesting against the quota system in government jobs and the assault on protesting students.

At that time, Nahid Islam, coordinator of the anti-discrimination student movement, stated, "Our student strike will persist. Even if teachers resume classes, students will not. The movement will continue until our demands are addressed. If a fair solution isn't reached, it will escalate into a larger mass movement."

He said, "We have been conducting a peaceful movement from the start. The government should have engaged in dialogue and coordinated with us. Instead, we have witnessed students being attacked by the police and the ruling student body."

The protesting students affirmed, "Our student strike will persist until our demands are fulfilled. We urge teachers: when you were protesting, students supported you by not attending class. We also request for leniency in exams. We aim to foster better relations between teachers and students."

They said, "The casees must be withdrawn within 24 hours. Furthermore, those who attacked the students must face justice. Rubber bullets were fired at Comilla University, resulting in injuries to 30 students. One of our coordinating team members went directly to Comilla University and spoke with the students. We also held a meeting with Comilla Police. We spoke to the agitators at Comilla University about coordinating with the Comilla District Police and relevant authorities."