Shahbagh blocked again: Engineering students take to the street
Students of various engineering institutions have blocked the Shahbagh intersection for the second consecutive day as part of their ‘Long March to Dhaka’ programme to press home their three point demand.
The students took position blocking the Shahbagh intersection around 11:00 am on Wednesday. Vehicular movement through the Shahbagh intersection and adjacent roads stopped due to the protest.
The three-point demand includes not allowing the diploma engineers to use the word engineer before their name, no diploma engineers be promoted to the ninth grade and that graduate engineers be given opportunities for entry into 10th-grade jobs.
They also blocked the Shahbagh intersection for five hours on Tuesday with these demands.
Speaking to Prothom Alo, Bangladesh University of Engineering and technology (BUET) student Abrar Faiyaz said primarily, they had blocked the Shahbagh intersection to realise their three-point demand. They could move from there.
Meanwhile, the Shahbagh blockade has led to severe traffic congestion in adjacent areas causing immense sufferings for the daily commuters.
An on-the-spot visit found that buses coming from Matsya Bhaban through Shahbagh towards different destinations were turning back at Shahbagh intersection. Vehicles heading for various destinations through Shahbagh via Dhaka University were not being allowed to cross the intersection. Cars coming from Katabon towards Shahbagh were stuck on the road.
Sabbir Mahmud, a fourth year BUET student, said they had been holding demonstrations at night considering public sufferings. However, as their demands were not met, they launched a road blockade programme yesterday. They said they would not leave the streets until their demands are fulfilled.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Ramna Division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Masud Alam told Prothom Alo that alternative routes had been opened at Katabon, Matsya Bhaban and Intercontinental intersections to ease traffic congestion.