Traffic in Shahbagh halted

Traffic in Dhaka’s Shahbagh and adjoining areas came to a standstill on Wednesday morning due to a blockade put up by a group of students who could not clear the 34th BCS preliminary examinations.

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Over 500 students blocked the Shahbagh intersection at 10:30am, bdnews24.com Correspondent reported from the scene.

The agitating students were demanding a change in the quota system claiming they were not selected despite obtaining high marks.

Most of the protesters were students of Dhaka University. They were protesting under banner ‘Banchita Shikkharthi’ (deprived students).

The blockade resulted in traffic snarls at the adjoining Matsa Bhaban, Kawran Bazar and the Elephant Road.

Dhaka University Proctor Professor Amzad Ali expressed his solidarity with the demands, when he visited the protesting students around 12 noon.

“I agree with the students. One will get 80 and fail while another will pass with 50-- this is just not acceptable.”

He blamed the complications on some ‘over enthusiastic’ individuals who have put the government on the dock.

Results of the 34th BCS preliminary examinations were out on Monday.

Only 12,033 candidates emerged successful among the 221,000 aspirants.

Though earlier, the quotas were considered after written examinations (held after preliminary test), this time it was made effective at the primary screening.

Protestors say this had eased out many students of true merit.

A participant of the protest, Mahabubu Rahman, told bdnews24.com that general students could not pass despite obtaining 78 percent marks. “But, those covered by the quota made it with a score of just 60.”

Many participants at Shahbagh were children of Freedom Fighters – who had quota reserved for them.

One among them, Shahedul Islam, a Dhaka University student, told bdnews24.com there must be a minimum limit that must be set even for those availing off the quotas - marks below that should not be considered under quota system. “We cannot build a strong country if we disregard merit.”