Titumir students block Mohakhali crossing, bring rail services to a halt; BGB deployed
As of 4:30pm, at least six trains have been delayed due to the blockade
Protesting students of Government Titumir College blocked the Mohakhali Rail Crossing from 3:40pm today (3 February) to push home their demands, which include recognition of the institution as a university.
Confirming the blockade, Kamalapur Railway Station Master Shahadat Hossain said as of 4:30pm, at least six trains have been delayed due to the blockade.
"Of them, three are stuck on tracks in Tejgaon, Cantonment area and Mohakhali, while another three could not start the journey from Kamalapur Railway Station on time," he said.
The number of delayed trains is expected to grow every half an hour if the blockade continues, he added.
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Four platoons of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have been deployed at the scene to control the situation, a press statement from paramilitary forces said.
Earlier on the day, Titumir students blocked the Mohakhali-Gulshan road at around 12:20pm for the fifth consecutive day.
Last night, students declared they would block the Gulshan-Mohakhali road and railway lines in Mohakhali from 11am to 10pm today.
Both incoming and outgoing traffic remained in a gridlock as the students put bamboo on the road in front of their college.
Meanwhile, about ten students have been on a hunger strike for the past five days in front of the college gate. Three of them were hospitalised, while others were continuing the strike with saline support, said Riad Hassan, a student of the Bangla department.
The protest began on 30 January, with students staging road blockades in front of their Mohakhali campus. On 31 January, they blocked roads again as part of their ongoing demonstrations.
The students' demands include formal recognition of Titumir University by the state and the publication of an academic calendar.
They also call for the formation of the university's administration and the commencement of admissions for the 2024-25 academic session.
Additionally, they demand accommodation for all students or financial assistance to cover their housing expenses.
They insist that from the 2024-25 academic year, two internationally recognised disciplines — Law and Journalism — must be introduced.
They are also calling for the appointment of qualified PhD-holding faculty members, a cap on student enrolment to maintain education quality, and financial and land allocations for an international-standard research laboratory.
