Several hundred students of seven colleges affiliated to Dhaka University on Monday blocked Nilkhet and Science Laboratory crossings for about four hours placing a three-point demand charter, including establishing a separate autonomous university for them.
Students blocked the Nilkhet crossing from about 11:30am to 2:30pm and later they moved to the Science Laboratory crossing, and lifted the blockade at about 4:00pm giving a 24-hour ultimatum to meet their demand.聽
The hours-long blockade in the two major crossings in the capital collapsed the traffic movement over a large part of the city, including Shahbagh, Elephant Road, Hatirpool, Banglamotor, Kalabagan and Green Road.
Addressing a rally while closing the blockade at the Science Laboratory crossing, Dhaka College student Abdur Rahman placed their demands, including establishing a reform committee immediately to create an autonomous public university to govern the seven colleges.
鈥榃e also demand that the reform committee will formulate an outline within 30 working days to form an聽 autonomous university coordinating with the students, teachers and stakeholders concerned. Thirdly, the reform committee will coordinate with the Dhaka University administration so that the students can continue studies and do not have to suffer session jams even for an hour,鈥櫬爃e said.
Abdur Rahman warned that if the reform committee was not formed by the next 24 hours, they would go on hunger strike.
Earlier at about 12:30pm, students of the seven colleges鈥擠haka College, Begum Badrunnesa Government Girls鈥� College, Eden Mohila College, Government Bangla College, Government Shaheed Suhrawardy College, Government Titumir College, and Kabi Nazrul Government College鈥攂rought out a procession from the Nilkhet crossing and marched up to Azimpur bus stand before returning to the Nilkhet crossing.
鈥榃e took to the streets with the demand for a new university for the seven colleges. We do not want to stay affiliated with Dhaka University,鈥� Habizar Rahman, a first year honours student of social science in Dhaka College, said.
Habizar alleged that Dhaka University students were checking their exam papers instead of teachers.
鈥榃e have also suffered in session jams,鈥� he said.
Denying the allegations, Dhaka University pro-vice chancellor for administration professor Sayema Haque Bidisha said that there was no scope for Dhaka University students to check exam papers.
鈥楢s there is a huge number of students in seven colleges, it takes more time to check papers, makes tabulation sheets and publish results. We will try to avoid unnecessary session jams in the coming days after finding out loopholes,鈥� Sayema explained.聽聽
New Market police officer-in-charge Mohsin Uddin told 抖阴精品 that students lifted the blockade at about 4:00pm issuing a 24-hour ultimatum at the Science Laboratory crossing.