Hunger strike at JU

THE students of Jahangirnagar University have resorted to an extreme measure--hunger strike--to express their deep resentment over the academic deadlock at the university. Their desperation is well founded, since classes have not been held in the last 70 days.

The thought of an uncertain future must have weighed heavily on the minds of the students when they decided to go on a hunger strike. The strike seeks to bring about an early resolution of the differences between the teachers and the university authorities. The general students-- having no party leanings and no stake in political agitation-- were left in the lurch when the university was closed. They have already lost valuable time and do not yet know how long the deadlock will continue.

The hunger strike, however, should help the authorities realise what closure of a university for an indefinite period of time really means to the students. It is the general students who have come out in the open to register their protest.

The teachers of the university want the JCD elements-- who had allegedly manhandled some teachers on August 10-- to be punished. The demand is absolutely logical, but what the teachers cannot overlook is that it is the innocent students, not the real culprits, who get punished when classes are not held. That is surely not what the teachers want; so they must look for alternative avenues to proceed along, instead of boycotting classes for such a long time.

The student outfits representing the political parties have a role to play here. They should take the initiative to expel the unruly elements from their respective organisations in the interest of academic discipline and peace, and make sure that normal functioning of the university is not obstructed. The university authorities, for their part, should expedite the process of negotiation with the teachers and all others concerned in order to bring back normalcy to the campus, as there is no way to leave the matter where it stands now.