Walid drawing a crowd

Dhaka University (DU) student Walid Ashraf, who has been on a hunger strike since Saturday demanding election to Ducsu [Dhaka University Central Students' Union], is not alone anymore as more students have started expressing solidarity with his cause. 

Yesterday, a group of 15-20 students painted the walls adjacent to Eternal Memory premises at DU and wrote “Ducsu De” (Hold Ducsu election) on the road leading to DU vice-chancellor's residence.

To support Walid's cause, they said they are planning to organise a concert on the Eternal Memory premises at 4:00pm today. Walid, a master's student of Social Welfare and Research, has been staying in a tent on the premises since Saturday, demanding Ducsu election before December 16. Since then, he has not taken any food except for water. 

Meanwhile, Pragatishil Chhatra Jote, an alliance of left-leaning student organisations, declared that it would stage a symbolic demonstration today by covering their faces with black clothes at the base of Raju Memorial Sculpture on the campus.

Zonayed Saki, chief coordinator of Gonosonghoti Andolon, also expressed his support on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, DU teachers Prof Gitiara Nasreen of mass communication and journalism department and Prof Ahmed Kamal of history department, and Jagannath University teachers Prof Md Moniruzzaman Khanadaker and Kazi Shakhawat Hossain also expressed solidarity with Walid and visited him.

The same day, two assistant proctors of DU also visited Walid and asked him to break his fast citing that his health condition might deteriorate if he continues the strike.

They, however, did not give any assurance of holding the long-pending Ducsu polls.

Yesterday, Walid told this correspondent that he would continue his strike till death if the authorities fail to hold Ducsu polls by the stipulated time (December 16).

No election to the Ducsu, the representative body of the students, has been held since 1990.