Students of 7 colleges block Science Lab for 2nd day, causing commuter sufferings
Education Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud, in a statement issued today, said the government has already formed a committee with relevant experts to consider the demands of students of seven colleges affiliated with Dhaka University
Students from seven colleges affiliated with Dhaka University (DU) have staged a protest by blocking the Science Lab intersection in the capital for the second consecutive day, demanding the establishment of a separate public university.
The blockade commenced around 11am today (30 October), lasting for six hours, as confirmed by Jisanul Haque, additional deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (Dhanmondi zone).
The agitating students said they gave a 24-hour ultimatum on Tuesday, but relevant authorities did not pay attention. They said their protests will continue until demands are met.
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commuters faced immense sufferings due to heavy traffic jams caused by the road blockade. Vehicular movement remained completely halted on the roads surrounding the Science Lab intersection during the demonstration.
This protest follows a previous blockade on Tuesday, during which students halted traffic from 12pm to 5pm for a total of five hours. Following their protest, they announced plans for another blockade the next day before eventually clearing the road.
The students are demanding the formation of a "University Transformation Commission" to establish an independent public university. They have made it clear that they will continue their movement until this commission is formed.
Additionally, the students have rejected the committee established by the Ministry of Education on this matter.
On 26 October, the students demanded that the commission be formed within three days. They warned that if their demands were not met, they would take stricter action. When the deadline passed on 28 October, they decided to protest.
Immediate solutions challenging: Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud
In response to the protests, Education Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud, in a statement issued today, said that important reforms in the education sector have far-reaching implications and that providing immediate solutions is challenging.
He noted that protesters are focusing solely on their demands, believing they can only be resolved through street actions. "This is creating public suffering on the roads and not giving the government enough time for proper consideration of the demands," he said.
Wahiduddin Mahmud assured the students that the government has formed a committee of relevant experts to review the demands of the students from seven colleges affiliated with Dhaka University, and this committee will prepare a report within six weeks.
"The problem started a few years ago with an ill-advised decision to take seven Dhaka colleges out of the purview of the National University and incorporate them into Dhaka University. As a result, problems have arisen on both sides of Dhaka University and the seven colleges, and the students of those seven colleges have suffered various difficulties and discrimination," said Wahiduddin Mahmud in the statement.
"The issues are complex and require at least some time to consider an appropriate solution," he added.
