Physiotherapy students begin fast unto death today

The Bangladesh Physiotherapy Student's Union (BPSU) will begin a fast unto death today protesting the government's inaction in establishing Bangladesh College of Physiotherapy.
The hunger strike will be held at the Central Shaheed Minar in the city, said the students at a press conference at the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) yesterday.
Apart from hunger strike, students of nine physiotherapy institutions will lay siege to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) at Mahakhali on Wednesday to realise their demand.
Earlier, the students staged hunger strike thrice and every time the health ministry officials assured them of establishing the college.
They said foundation stone of the college was also laid on June 10 in 2009 at Mahakhali and Health Minister Prof AFM Ruhal Haque assured them of beginning the establishment process of the college by July 9 the same year.
But no step has been taken yet in this regard, they said. The physiotherapy course was initiated in 1972 but there is no separate public physiotherapy college in the country, they said.
They said demand for a physiotherapy college is not new. The Bangladesh College of Physiotherapy Project began in 1998 that was halted for years, said the aggrieved students.
They said their education is being hampered for lack of teachers.