Hundreds of students from different educational institutes including Begum Rokeya University on Wednesday blocked Rangpur-Dhaka highway demanding the inclusion of advisers in the interim government from Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions.
Appointment of two new advisers 鈥� businessman Sheikh Bashir Uddin and filmmaker Mostofa Sarowar Farooki 鈥� to the Professor Muhammad Yunus-led advisory council of the interim government on November 10 sparked protests across the country.
The Student Movement Against Discrimination, a platform that led the mass uprising forcing Sheikh Hasina to flee to India, blocked the Modern intersection at the Labagh area of the city in the morning, on the outskirts of the city that connects the eight districts of the region and the capital.
The blockade began at 11:00am and the students left the place around 1:00pm.
Traffic halted for around two hours causing severe sufferings to the commuters as well the inter-district passengers.聽
The protesters said there were no representations of people in the interim government鈥檚 advisory body from Rangpur and Rajshahi divisions.
They demanded at least four advisors including Akhter Hossen, Jatiya Nagarik Committee member secretary and Ganatantrik Chhatra Shakti leader, as an adviser to the interim government from the divisions.
They said that Abu Sayeed, a student of Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur dedicated his life standing before police firing during the quota reform movement that inspired the reformists across the country to snatch the victory on August 5.
They also warned to enforce blockade on roads and railway routes if their demands are not met soon.聽
Earlier on Tuesday, the students brought out a procession from the Rangpur Press Club premise parading the major roads of the city and ended at the Modern intersections.
Rangpur district student movement coordinators Imran Ahmed, Jamil Hossain, Nahid Hasan Khandkar, Imtiaz Imti and Yasin Arafat addressed the rally among others.
Immediate after the advisers鈥� oath-taking, the student platform leader Sarjis Alam wrote on his Facebook timeline, 鈥楾hirteen advisers from just one division! Yet, there is not a single adviser from the sixteen districts of Rangpur and Rajshahi divisions in North Bengal! On top of that, supporters of murderer Hasina are also becoming advisers!鈥�