A group of students from Rajshahi University staged a demonstration on Wednesday by blocking the Dhaka-Rajshahi rail tracks at the university鈥檚 railway station, protesting at the dominance of Dhaka and Dhaka University in government bodies and policymaking.
About 150 students blocked the rail tracks at 11:30am, halting rail communications between Rajshahi and the rest of the country.
During the blockade, Fazle Rabbi Md Fahim Reza, former coordinator of the Students Against Discrimination, stated that following the victory on August 5, they all had aspirations to rebuild the state collectively.
鈥楾he state, however, has become hostage to a specific syndicate centred around Dhaka University and Dhaka and the role of every class of people and students of other universities of the country has been denied,鈥� he said.
Another former coordinator, Salahuddin Ammar, remarked that people from all walks of life participated in the July-August mass uprising, forming a strong resistance against fascism.
鈥楢fter the fall of the autocratic government, that singular dominance has returned. People having Dhaka University backgrounds are being appointed to the University Grants Commission, Public Service Commission, reform commissions, and even the advisory council, he said.
The protesting students then put forward their three main demands for a decentralised Bangladesh and the full recognition of the rights and dignity of all stakeholders.
Their demands are ensuring the participation of all stakeholders, including all public and private universities, seven colleges, and madrassahs, in state reform based on their qualifications, ensuring the inclusive participation of all stakeholders in reform commissions, the PSC, UGC, and other important state institutions and agencies, and developing a roadmap for establishing a decentralised Bangladesh within a short time frame.
Later, the students withdrew their blockade at about 1:00pm and announced that they would hold a protest at the university鈥檚 Shaheed Intellectual Memorial on Thursday, to press home their demands.
Due to the students鈥� blockade, meanwhile, Rajshahi-bound Dhumketu Express and Kapatakkha Express trains were stranded at Hariyan Railway Station, according to Rajshahi railway station master Moin Uddin.