Dhaka, Feb. 1 -- Students from Dhaka's Government Titumir College have started a fourth day of a hunger strike to demand the institution be given state recognition as an independent university.

If a declaration is not forthcoming by 4pm on Saturday, students say they will launch a tough programme that includes a blockade in the Dhaka North City Corporation on Sunday.

Mehedi Hasan, a member of the protest organising group Titumir Oikyo, was on a hunger strike in front of the campus around 11am on Saturday.

"We have set a deadline of 4pm today," he said. "If the university declaration is not made by 4pm today, we will hold a Barasat blockade of Dhaka North from tomorrow."

"That is why we have set a deadline of 4pm. They must declare a u...