Former and current students of Medical Assistant Training School on Wednesday blocked the Shahbagh crossing in the capital for nearly six hours, bringing the traffic to a halt, as they pressed for a four-point demand charter, including more job opportunities.
The blocking of the Shahbagh crossing, one of the city鈥檚 busiest crossings, from about 12:30pm to 6:30pm caused the traffic gridlock to spread over different areas of the city amid intense suffering of the commuters.
They lifted the blockade sending a seven-day ultimatum, announcing that they would organise a long march in the capital if their demands were not met by that time.
The MATS students鈥� demands include recruitment in vacant positions under the 10th grade; creation of employment opportunities and new positions in both government and private sectors; revision of the course curriculum and changing the institution鈥檚 name to 鈥楳edical Institute鈥�; abolition of the proposed Allied Health Professional Board and the establishment of an independent 鈥楳edical Education Board of Bangladesh; and opportunities for higher education in clinical subjects meeting international standards and recognition from Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council.
Ahmadullah Mansur, a central coordinator of the General MATS Students Unity Council, in the evening at Shahbagh said that representatives of the protesting students held a meeting with authorities at the Bangladesh Secretariat and received positive responses regarding their demands.
鈥楾hey assured us that our demands would be realised as soon as possible. They asked for seven working days to realise the demands,鈥� said Mansur.
Muzahidul Islam, a senior coordinator of the council, informed the protesters and journalists that the health ministry鈥檚 Medical Education and Family Welfare Division鈥檚 high officials were present at the meeting.
Announcing the end of Wednesday鈥檚 blockade, Muzahidul also said that over 30,000 MATS students and jobholders and 40,000 jobseekers from across the country would organise a long march in the capital if the demands were not met within seven working days.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police Ramna Division deputy commissioner Masud Alam told 抖阴精品 that they tried to persuade the protesters to end the blockade but they refused till 6:30pm.
Muhammad Siraj, a bus driver of Rajanigandha Paribahan that was stuck at the crossing, told 抖阴精品 at around 6:00pm that he was there for over two hours and all the passengers left the bus heading towards Mohammadpur from Narayanganj due to the blockade.
Abdul Malek, who was walking to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University for the treatment of his injured leg, told 抖阴精品 at around 5:30pm that he suffered terribly as he had to walk with his injured leg to the hospital since no vehicles were stuck.