Agitated students of Barisal Government Women’s College hostel staged demonstration and ransacked its dining room early Friday, protesting 30 per cent increase in daily meal charges.

Students of Rowshan Jahan Hostel alleged that hostel

superintendent Bashirul Huq Thursday evening served a notice raising daily meal charges to Tk 40 per head from Tk 30 with effect from Saturday.

When the hostel authorities forced the students to receive the monthly meal-cards with increased rates Thursday night, they started agitation protesting the decision.

At one stage the authorities locked the main gate of the hostel at about 10 pm.

Later, the agitated girls broke open the lock at about 12:30 am and assembled in front of the main gate of the college.

They chanted various slogans demanding removal of the hostel superintendent and withdrawal of the new meal charges.

Principal of the college Prof Ramijuddin rushed in and brought the situation under control with the help of other teachers late at night.

Khaleda Parvin, assistant superintendent of the hostel, said following price hike of essentials, the authorities decided to increase daily meal charges.