College students block Nilkhet intersection, demand withdrawal of case

Students of two colleges affiliated with Dhaka University have blocked the Nilkhet intersection for one and half hours, demanding the withdrawal of cases over a previous protest and release of fellow protesters detained earlier.

Students from Dhaka College and Eden Women's College blocked the busy intersection adjacent to the New Market, crippling traffic in the area around 11am on Saturday.

New Market Police Station OC Atiqur Rahman said the students left the street after 'peaceful' demonstration at around 12:30pm.

The protesters demanded the immediate withdrawal of the case, unconditional release of the detained protesters, the arrangement of treatment by the government for the injured protesters, and a separate policy to develop the standard of the college education.

Md Shaheen Hossain, a protester from Dhaka College, said their protest was peaceful and the authorities should listen to their demands.

On Thursday, students from seven colleges affiliated with Dhaka University demonstrated in Shahbagh. Their demands included the announcement of exam schedule.

Police stopped the demonstrators when traffic in the area came to a halt. A clash erupted when the law enforcers fired tear gas shells and charged batons to disperse the protesters.

Police also detained 13 protesters and started a case against some 1,200 unidentified people on charges of obstruction of police duty and attempt to murder.