Students have to be convinced not to take to streets: Home adviser

Home advisor lieutenant general (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said the government wants to hold dialogue with students to resolve any crisis.

“We want students not to take to streets and block streets as people suffer in such programmes. We will have to convince them. We want to reach a solution of any crisis through dialogues. We don’t want to go tough,” said the advisor regarding the recent demonstration and violence between students of different colleges in Dhaka.

The adviser made the remark while visiting the embankment of haor in Sunamganj today, Tuesday. Water resources, environment, forest and climate change adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan was also present at that time.

The two advisors went to visit Matian haor in Tahirpur upazila on Tuesday morning to inspect the construction of embankment. Later they talked with journalists.

“Teachers are here and so are the student representatives who can find solutions to any problem. The student representatives can sit with anyone if needed. They are dear ones. People face trouble if roads are blocked. All their demands would be met peacefully through discussion.”

He added that Suhrawardy Udyan is here to press home any demands.

He assured the farmers of Sunamganj about extending all facilities from the government.

Syeda Rizwana said formation of a Project Implementation Committee (PIC) is ongoing on construction of the dam and survey is being carried out to finalise the project.

She warned against action if any irregularities take place in project implementation.

Water resources ministry’s secretary Nazmul Ahsan, Sunamganj’s deputy commissioner Md Ilias Mia, Water Development Board Sunamganj’s executive engineer Md Hawlader and Students Against Discrimination Sunamganj district’s convener Emon Ahmed, among others, were present.