Polytechnic students stage street protests in Dhaka, Rajshahi and Dinajpur

The protests are part of a campaign to push through seven demands

Polytechnic institute and technical students have launched fresh street protests in Dhaka, Rajshahi and Dinajpur to push through a series of demands.

On Wednesday, students of Dhaka Polytechnic Institute descended on Tejgaon's Sat Rasta, bringing traffic on the busy intersection and nearby roads to a standstill, according to police.

“About a thousand students are occupying the road. We are speaking with them and trying to bring the situation under control,” said Deputy Commissioner Ibne Mizan of Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Tejgaon Division.

Assistant Commissioner Anish Kirtania of Tejgaon Traffic Division said the sit-in at the centre of Sat Rasta had blocked all connecting roads, causing disruption in the surrounding areas. Efforts are under way to divert traffic, according to police.

Meanwhile, in Dinajpur, polytechnic institute students blocked railway lines in the morning as part of the same campaign.

They began gathering at the Fulbari Rail Crossing from 9:30am, halting train service in the process. As a result, the Dhaka-bound Drutojan Express and the Rajshahi-bound Banglabandha Express trains were stranded at the Dinajpur Railway Station after arriving from Panchagarh.

WHAT ARE THEIR DEMANDS?

The students’ demands include:

1. Cancellation of a High Court verdict on the promotion of craft instructors to junior instructor posts, along with a change of designation for craft instructors and dismissal of all those involved in the related case.

2. Cancellation of the provision allowing enrolment in the diploma engineering course at any age, and formulation of a modern four-year curriculum.

3. Ensuring sub-assistant engineer posts (Grade 10 on the pay scale) are reserved for diploma engineers.

4. Appointment of individuals with a technical education background to all administrative posts in the technical education sector.

5. Formation of a separate Ministry of Technical Education and a Technical Education Reform Commission.

6. Establishment of a specialised technical university for higher education.

7. Ensuring diploma students are admitted to all available seats at the under-construction engineering colleges.

Students from Dhaka Polytechnic Institute had also descended on Sat Rasta on Tuesday, holding a rally and chanting slogans to press home their demands. The protest held up traffic in the area for about half an hour.

Earlier, in April, polytechnic institute and technical students had staged similar demonstrations across Dhaka and other parts of the country with six demands.

The situation had subsequently calmed after government assurances, but has now flared up once again.