The agitating students blocked the Shahbag intersection of the capital for five hours demanding the reinstatement of the circular issued by the government in 2018 canceling the quota system in government jobs. This has caused severe traffic jams on most of the capital's roads. As a result, the passengers have suffered greatly.

Students blocked Shahbag intersection from 12 noon on Thursday (July 4). Due to the location of the students, the road leading to Science Lab, Mirpur Road, Motijheel was closed. As the traffic was stopped, many of the passengers walked towards their destination. They have blocked the intersection until the report is written.

Earlier, students gathered in front of the central library at 11:30 am. Later, students marched to Dhaka University's Masterda Suryasen Hall, Haji Muhammad Mohsin Hall, Vice Chancellor's residence, Raju Sculpture and came to Shahbagh and laid siege.

Normally it takes about fifteen minutes to go to Farmgate from Mohammadpur in the capital by motorcycle. But today around 3 pm, a victim said that it takes about one and a half hours to go this way. The situation in other parts of the capital is similar, some victims said. However, bus passengers are suffering more than motorcyclists.

Anamika, a student of Holy Cross College, said that after the exam, she came out of the hall and saw heavy traffic on the road. I wanted to go home quickly and take a rest. That is not happening because of traffic.

Rakib Hasan, the parent of another student, said that heavy traffic has started since morning. Maybe because of Shahbagh, the traffic jam has spread all over the capital. Every day so much traffic is increasing the suffering in our normal life.

Babu, a Bikalpa Paribahan bus driver in Kawranbazar, said that the traffic jam is increasing due to the Shahbagh movement for several days. Apart from the suffering of passengers, our income is decreasing. Have to stay in jam for hours. Many passengers are leaving on foot.

Salman, a fourth-year student of Dhaka University, who participated in the movement, said, "We will not leave the streets until our demands are met." Students across the country have woken up today. This movement will be successful if Shahbagh, Science Lab Road and Metrorail are closed.

It is known that before the holy Eid-ul-Azha on June 5, the High Court declared invalid the circular for the cancellation of freedom fighter quota in the case of 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. A full bench of the Appellate Division fixed July 4 for hearing the petition.

Nahid Islam, a student of Sociology Department of Dhaka University, one of the organizers of the recent quota reform movement, said that their demand is mainly to redistribute or reform the quota by setting up a commission with a maximum quota of 10 percent in all grades subject to the upholding of the 2018 circular; Stopping the possibility of using quota facility multiple times in the job examination and appointing the vacant posts on the basis of merit if qualified candidates are not found in the quota and taking effective measures to ensure a corruption-free, impartial and merit-based bureaucracy.

Till 2018, there was a total of 56 percent quota in government jobs in Bangladesh. That year, protests started in various educational institutions of the country, including Dhaka University, demanding quota reform. At that time, the protesting students complained of attack by law enforcement agencies including Chhatra League.

On October 4 of that year, the Ministry of Public Administration issued a circular on the cancellation of quota. Later in 2021, the children of freedom fighters filed a writ challenging the part of the freedom fighter quota cancellation of that circular.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said, we want to increase business between Bangladesh and Spain. She emphasized on the need to strengthen trade between the two countries for mutual benefit.

The Prime Minister said this when Spanish Ambassador Gabriel Maria Cistiaga Ochoa de Chinchetru paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence Ganabhaban on Thursday (July 04).

Prime Minister's Press Secretary Naemul Islam Khan briefed the journalists after the meeting. He said that the Prime Minister called upon the Spanish Ambassador to take initiatives to increase his country's investment in Bangladesh.

In this context, the Prime Minister said that her government is establishing about 100 Special Economic Zones in Bangladesh. Spanish investors can also invest there because we expect more investment from Spain.

At this time, the Prime Minister asked for Spain's support after Bangladesh's LDC transition.

The Prime Minister's Press Secretary said, the meeting also informed that there will be negotiations for a partnership agreement between the two countries - which will begin next September.

About 60,000 (Bangladeshis) currently live in Spain. The Prime Minister urged Spain to take more Bangladeshis, especially from the IT sector.

The Ambassador of Spain said that currently his country only imports ready-made garments (RMG) from Bangladesh and Spain has investments in the cement sector of Bangladesh. Appreciating the budget of Bangladesh for the current financial year, he said that the government has given importance to education and social safety net.

"This is very important for us," said Maria Sistiaga. Your increased interest and allocation in social safety net has also matched our country.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina thanked the Spanish Prime Minister for inviting her to visit Spain through the Ambassador. 

Seven people have been arrested so far in connection with the murder of Jhenaidah-4 Constituency Member of Parliament Anwarul Azim Anar. Six of the seven have given a confessional statement under section 164 in the court in connection with the murder. Besides, the police are working to arrest others whose names have come up.

Additional Commissioner of Police (Detective) Mohammad Haroon Or Rasheed released a video message on Thursday (July 4) highlighting the murder of the parliamentarian.

In the video message, he said that Mustafiz and Faisal were arrested in the latest raid on the inaccessible hills in connection with the murder of Anwarul Azim Anar. After the arrest, the court granted them a six-day remand. In the wake of that remand, Mustafiz and Faisal told that Aktaruzzaman Shaheen arranged passports for them to go to India. From Shaheen's residence in Bashundhara, Dhaka, Faisal, a heart patient, and Mostafiz, a kidney patient, were issued visas to India by showing fake documents, fake bank statements and various other fake documents. They stayed at Shaheen's house in Dhaka until they got their visas.

Haroon Or Rashid said, after the visa was issued, Aktaruzzaman Shaheen gave Tk. 20,000 to Mostafiz and Faisal to go to India by train. On their way to India, they entered the Sanjeeva Garden in Kolkata on 10 April. On May 13, Faisal left Gopal Biswas' house and brought MP Anar to Sanjiba Garden in a red car. Then Mustafiz, Faisal and Jihad were responsible for bringing chloroform and chapati from Shaheen's PS Pintu to make him unconscious.

During interrogation, Mustafiz and Faisal also said that after the murder, when everyone left, Mustafiz and Faisal were last in that flat in Sanjiba Garden. They talked with Shaheen there too. Shaheen instructs them to leave the flat free of hair and blood stains, to tidy up and keep everything tidy. Then on May 19, Mustafiz and Faisal came to Bangladesh. Shaheen also cut the ticket to come to Bangladesh. Even after coming to Bangladesh, Mustafiz and Faisal climbed the third floor of Shaheen's house in Dhaka.

The DB chief said that when the killer of Anar's murder, Amanullah Aman alias Shimul Bhuiyan, was arrested by the DB, Mustafiz and Faisal hid in different places with the Tk. 30,000 given by Shaheen. Then they plan to go to the temple on the remote hill and hide there in Hindu clothes.

As per the plan, Makali Puja started at Patal Kalimandir on the remote hill of Khagrachari, Hindus fell in dhoti and changed the name.

Haroon said that so far seven people have been arrested in the murder of Anwarul Azim Anar. Six of the seven have given confessional statements under Section 164 in connection with Anar's murder. Besides, the police is working to arrest those whose names have come. They will also be arrested soon.

Anwarul Azim's friend Gopal Biswas lodged a GD about Anwarul Azim's disappearance at Kolkata's Barahnagar police station on May 18, five days after he left home. Even then, the three-time Member of Parliament was not found. On May 22, news suddenly spread that Anwarul Azim was murdered in room BU 56 of a residential building called Sanjiba Gardens in the Newtown area of Kolkata. Traces of blood were found inside the flat. But the body was not found in the house. Anar's daughter Mumtarin Ferdous Doreen filed a case in Dhaka's Sher-e-bangla Nagar police station on May 22. 

The water level of various rivers in Jamalpur is increasing due to the hill slopes, water coming down from the upstream and heavy rains. The low- lying areas of the district are getting flooded. Already, water has started rising on roads and residential houses at different places in four upazilas. Thousands of families of some unions have become marooned.

According to the sources of Water Development Board, in the last 24 hours, the water level of Jamuna river has increased by 68 cm at Bahadurabad ghat point of Dewanganj and is flowing 70 cm above the flood level.

On the other hand, the ground next to the bridge on the main road from Dewanganj to Kholabari has moved due to the flow of water. As a result, communication is lost. Besides, the regional road was broken in Katharbil area.

Jamalpur Water Development Board water gauge reade Abdul Mannan told Barta24.com that in the last 24 hours the water has risen by 68 cm and is flowing 70 cm above the danger level at Bahadurabad Point. The water may rise in the next two to three days.

According to local sources, Chinaduli, Noarpara, Kulkandi, Patrshi, Sapdhari, Belgacha and Chikajani of Islampur upazilla, Chukaibari, Bahadurabad of Dewanganj upazila and Ghosherpara, Adra, Mahmudpur, Nangla and Kulia union of Melandah upazila are getting flooded.

Jamalpur district Relief and Rehabilitation officer Alamgir Hossain said that all preparations have been made to deal with the flood situation.