Bangla Blockade
The anti-discrimination student movement, a platform of ordinary students, has held a 'Bangla Blockade' program across the country with a one-point demand.
On Monday (July 8), protesting students blocked roads in the country including the capital Dhaka for the second day.
It can be seen on the spot that the students of Dhaka University have blocked the Shahbag intersection with a one-point demand. Traffic has stopped on the surrounding roads. The students blocked this intersection around 4:30 p.m. that day.
According to the pre-announced program, the agitators started taking position in front of the central library of Dhaka University from 3:30 pm. Later, they were joined by a procession in various halls of the university and students of various colleges around Dhaka.
As previously announced, students of seven colleges appeared in front of the main gate of Dhaka College around 3:55 PM. After that, they came to Science lab intersection with a procession and blocked it. As a result, traffic on Elephant Road, Mirpur Road and Dhanmondi Road No. 2 has stopped.
The students of Eden College have taken up position at Neelkhet intersection. The traffic around the area has stopped due to this.
Students of Jahangirnagar University (JU) blocked the Dhaka-Aricha highway demanding the abolition of quota system in government jobs and retention of merit-based recruitment circular.
Meanwhile, Rajshahi University (RU) students protesting against quota reform have blocked the Dhaka-Rajshahi railway. On Monday (July 8) at 12 noon, they took a position on the railway under the flyover adjacent to the University's Faculty of Agriculture.
At that time, the students said, 'There is no place for discrimination in Bangabandhu's Bengal', 'Give news to all of Bengal, bury the quota system', 'The tool of liberation war, rise again', 'Wake up, the student society has woken up', 'Struggle not Rajpath, Rajpath Rajpath'. They displayed various banners and posters with slogans such as 'This Bangla will not be the address of discrimination', 'Eighteen tools, get up again', 'There is no place for discrimination in my golden Bengal', 'Come brothers, come sisters, build a movement'.
Begum Rokeya University students protested by blocking the Rangpur-Dhaka highway demanding reform of the quota system. This program was held at Modern intersection in Rangpur city under the banner of general students of the university from 12 noon on Monday (July 8). At this time, the students announced that their program will continue until the quota system is reformed.
Students of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) have blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh railway for the third day demanding the cancellation of quota system and maintenance of merit-based recruitment circular.
A vigilant police presence has been seen in Shahbagh area around the Bangla blockade program of the students. Police have taken position around Shahbagh square.
An official of Ramana Police Division, who does not want to be named, told Barta24.com that no obstacle will be given to the peaceful movement of the students. But if they create any disturbance then action will be taken.
On July 6, the spokesperson of the protesting students, Nahid Islam, announced that the 'Bangla Blockade' program will be held from 3 pm on Sunday. Not only Shahbag intersection, Dhaka city Science lab, Chankharpool, Neelkhet, Motijheel students will come down at every point. Students from outside Dhaka will block the highways in district-district, universities. On Sunday, students dropped four points and announced one point of demand. That is - Parliament should pass a law by abolishing unreasonable and discriminatory quotas in all grades and bringing the quota to the minimum level for the backward groups mentioned in the constitution.
Incidentally, on June 5, the High Court declared invalid the freedom fighter quota cancellation circular for direct recruitment (grades 9 to 13) in government offices, autonomous and semi-autonomous institutions and various corporations. From that day, a large number of students started protesting in Dhaka University. In this situation, the state applied to the Appellate Division seeking suspension of the court's decision. The full bench of the Appellate Division fixed July 4 for hearing the petition. However, the full bench of the Appellate Division heard the application, for the time being the Muktijoddha quota remains as before. Therefore, according to the previously announced decision, the quota reform movement is still going on.
It should be noted that at this time, hundreds of students from different halls and departments of DU brought a procession and said 'Kota na Medha? The central library area of DU was buzzing with various slogans of the students including 'Medha Medha', Jegche Re Jegche Chatra Samaj Jegche, Lege Re Lege Blood is on fire, Kota na Medha Medha Medha, Khabar De Kota Prathar Kabar De in the whole of Bengal.