Students stage countrywide, demonstration, blockade protesting BCL attack

Students are demonstrating at different places across the country against the BCL's attacks on the protesting students, demanding withdrawal of the prime minister's statement and reasonable reforms in the quota system.

Vehicular movements come to a halt at roads and highways in several places due to blockade during the demonstration. General people face difficulties due to the situation.

Several thousand students of university and different schools and colleges block the Town Hall intersection area at the entry of Mymensingh-Tangail road at around 11:00am.

Chhatra Union Mymensingh district unit president Gokul Sutradhar Manik led the demonstration rally at the blockade of Mymensingh-Tangail road. Huge number of police members were deployed at the time. Movements of vehicles at the Town Hall areas come to a halt.

Mymensingh Kotwali model thana inspector (investigation) Anwar Hossain said the entry of Mymensingh-Tangail road is seized due to the blockade by the protesting students. Police have been deployed to control the situation.

A demonstration procession was brought out from the academic building of Mymensingh Medical College at around 9:00am. The demonstration begins in front of the academic building of the medical college after the procession paraded the street. The demonstration continues till 11:00am.

While visiting the medical college at around 10:00am, it was seen demonstrating by sitting on the road after locking the main gate of the academic building. They are chanting slogans with a hand mike. The slogans include 'amar bhaier rokto britha jete debona' "my brothers' (blood will not go in vain) and kota na medha, medha (quota or merit, merit, merit).

The protesting students feel insecure to identify themselves and talk to the media. They fear that they may come under attack by the Chhatra League and harassment by the administration.

Students of Barendra University in Rajshahi blocked Kharkhari bypass area in front of its main campus at 10:00am. The blockade created long tailbacks in both sides of the road.

The students said they are rallying in favor of the demands of the students of the country. Chhatra League at the behest of the government carried out attacks in a barbaric way in the logical protests of the students. The students will return home only when demand is fulfilled.

The university’s pro vice chancellor Ananda Kumar Saha said the authorities wanted the students to demonstrate inside the campus but the students blocked the road. The university authorities including proctorial body are observing the situation so that no problems ensue.

Students of Bogura’s Government Azizul Haque College and Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College have boycotted classes and took position on road and highway in front of their respective institutions in protest from 10:00am.

Police and witnesses said the students of Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College staged demonstration on the campus last night. They announced to boycott class during the protest. As per that announcement, the students of the medical colleges brought out a protest march at 10:30am today carrying different placards and chanting slogans.

Later they blocked Dhaka-Rangpur highway for around an hour. The students lift the blockade after 11:30am on request of police.

The students of Azizul Haque College blocked Satmatha-Tinmatha road from 10:30am. The police tried to move them away from the road at around 11:00am. Cocktail was hurled when the protesters were returning to the campus. Physics department student Suman and finance and banking department student Tasrif were injured in crude bomb explosion.

The protesters alleged that Chhatra League and Swecchasebak League men carried out the attack.

Abdur Rahim Rana, sub inspector of Bogura Sadar police station, said the attackers could not be identified. The injured students were sent to Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital.

Students under the banner of “Student Movement against Discrimination, National University, Khulna,” blocked the Notun Rasta roundabouts of the Khulna-Jashore highway from 10:00pm. The blockade stopped traffic on Khulna-Jashore and Sonadanga-Mujgunni highways. No vehicles except ambulance are been allowed to move.

Students from various colleges including Government Brajalal College, Khulna in Daulatpur, and Government Hazi Mohammad Mohsin College in Khalishpur joined the protest. Police also deployed in the adjacent area.

Students of Rangpur Medical College and private Rangpur Community Medical College, and private Prime Medical College demonstrated on their campus around 10:0am. Students held protest processions and rallies.

Protesting students said people of the country are afraid and terrified seeing the barbaric attacks on students. Numerous numbers of photos become viral on social media, leaving them shocked. Whoever the perpetrators are must face the trial, they demanded.

Prothom Alo’s staff correspondents from Rangpur and Bogra, Mymensingh office, correspondent from Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, and correspondents from Rajshahi and Khulna contributed to the reporting.