DU students block road at Shahbagh

Dhaka University students yesterday blocked the Shahbagh intersection for two hours, demanding the university cancel affiliation of the capital’s seven colleges with it. 

Some 500 students gathered at the base of Raju Memorial Sculpture around 11:00am. They brought out a procession around 12:00 noon and staged demonstrations at the Shahbagh intersection until 2:00pm to press home their four-point demand.  

Vehicular movement on the adjacent streets remained halted during the time, causing sufferings to the commuters.  

People heading for Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University and BIRDEM were seen stuck in long tailbacks. Many were seen walking to their destinations.  

The road block had cascading effect on city traffic creating jams even at Farmgate, Photo: Collected

Roman, a Jatrabari resident who came to DMCH with his mother, said despite his mother’s illness, she was compelled to walk from the hospital to get a vehicle to return home. 

The students’ four-point demand include cancellation of affiliation of seven colleges, publishing results within two months, digitalising all administrative activities and controlling mass transport movement inside the campus.

 The agitating students announced that they would barricade the Shahbagh intersection today and called for boycotting all classes and exams until their demands are met.  

“We lifted our blockade for today; we will block the intersection tomorrow to meet our demands,” Tarekul Islam, an organiser of the demonstration, told The Daily Star.   Tarek, a student of law department, alleged that the university’s academic and administrative activities slowed down due to the affiliation of the seven colleges

“Some students [of the seven colleges] are often involved in various immoral and illegal activities identifying themselves as Dhaka University students which tarnishes the university’s image,” he said. 

Contacted, DU Proctor Prof AKM Golam Rabbani said the students should have discussed the matter with the university authorities instead of blocking the streets which causes public sufferings.  

“The students can place their demands before us and we can sit for discussions. The students should not demonstrate in a way that causes public sufferings,” he added.  

On Tuesday, students of the seven colleges barricaded the Nilkhet intersection to press home their four-point demand, including promotion of students who failed their honours first-year final exams. 

On February 17, 2017, the government affiliated Dhaka College, Eden Mohila College, Government Shaheed Suhrawardy College, Kabi Nazrul Government College, Begum Badrunnesa Government Mohila College, Mirpur Government Bangla College and Government Titumir College with Dhaka University.