DU student falls sick

Walid Ashraf, a DU student who has been on a hunger strike demanding Dhaka University Central Students' Union (Ducsu) polls, was admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) yesterday evening as his health condition had deteriorated.

Walid was injected with saline at DMCH. He, however, returned to Memory Eternal premises immediately afterwards where he has been living in a tent since November 25.

He has not taken any food except for water since the first day. He declared that he would continue the strike until the DU authorities meet his demand.

Earlier, on Tuesday night, Walid was also injected with saline at the premises as his health condition deteriorated with blood pressure getting low and sugar level taking a decline. 

Meanwhile, leaders and activists of Bangladesh Chhatra Maitri yesterday expressed their solidarity with Walid. All the student organisations have so far expressed support for Walid except for Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) and Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD).

Expressing solidarity with Walid's movement, lawmaker and Bangladesh Workers' Party General Secretary Fazle Hossain Badsha said, “Denying the movement for Ducsu polls is similar to denying students' previous democratic movements.”

He also urged the former Ducsu leaders to express solidarity with the movement.

Bangladesh Chhatra Union of DU unit yesterday announced that it would hold an open discussion on Ducsu polls on December 13 at Aparajeyo Bangla on the campus.

Walid Ashraf, a master's student of Social Welfare and Research Institute, began the hunger strike at the Memory Eternal premises demanding Ducsu polls before December 16.

No election to Ducsu has been held since June 6, 1990.