Islamic Chhatra Shibir leader Sirajus Salekeen, Jubo and Chhatra Moitree activists Mizanur Rahman Rummon, Monirul Islam and Nazibul Islam Bachchu were placed before a metropolitan magistrate's court after completion of their four-day remand.

The court will hear the remand prayer on January 4.

"They (arrestees) provided us much information and we need to quiz them further," said Muhammad Lokman Hakim, deputy commissioner of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police.

Meanwhile, different social, cultural and professional organisations observed a five-hour token hunger strike at Shaheb Bazar in the city.

They held a rally led by President of Rajshahi Liberation War Library and Pro Liberation Doctors Forum Dr Sayed Shafiqul Alam in protest against the murder.

They broke fast as Gono Forum (GF) President Dr Kamal Hossain offered them fruit juice at around 2.30pm.

After visiting the family of Prof Yunus, Dr Kamal exchanged views with the local elite and journalists and stressed the need for united movement against fundamentalist forces.

GF General Secretary Saifuddin Manik, members Omar Ali, Pankaj Bhattacharya and Abdur Rauf were with Dr Kamal.

Progressive Teachers Association (PTA) of Rajshahi University started a five-day work abstention programme and staged a three-hour sit-in strike in front of senate building demanding punishment of the killers of Prof Yunus.

PTA leaders met RU Vice-chancellor Prof Faisul Islam Faruki with appeal for postponing the admission tests as the panic-gripped university is still mourning the teacher's death but the VC rejected the appeal.