JU students block Dhaka-Aricha highway again demanding postponement of BCS written exams

Students of Jahangirnagar University have once again blocked the Dhaka–Aricha Highway to press home their demand for postponing the written examination of the 47th BCS (Bangladesh Civil Service).

They began their demonstration by blocking both lanes of the highway adjacent to the university’s main entrance at around 12:15 pm today, Tuesday.

The programme was still under way at the time of filing this report, around 1:15 pm.

The blockade caused long tailbacks on both sides of the highway. However, the students did not obstruct the movement of ambulances or other emergency service vehicles.

Earlier, on Monday, the students had blocked the Dhaka–Aricha Highway for 20 minutes with the same demand.

During today’s blockade, Bariul Alam, a student of the 47th batch of the university’s Pharmacy Department, said, “The PSC (public service commission) is rushing to hold our examination. In protest, for the past month we have submitted memoranda to the PSC, held sit-ins in front of the PSC office, and coordinated with the Shahbagh Block to continue our movement across the country.”

“This movement is not only about the legitimate demands of the candidates for the 47th BCS written exam, if they impose an authoritarian decision today by rejecting these just demands, they will continue to impose one authoritarian decision after another in future,” he added.

Md Ruhan, a student of the 47th batch of the Botany Department, said, “We need more time to prepare for the written examination. That is why we are demonstrating for an extension of time. We have repeatedly approached the PSC with this demand, but the police have baton-charged us. In previous BCS cycles, candidates were given roughly six months to a year, or even 15 months, to prepare. But in the case of the 47th BCS, discrimination is being practised.”

According to the pre-announced schedule, the written examination for the 47th BCS will begin from 27 November, the Bangladesh Public Service Commission has said.

The commission maintains that the roadmap for this BCS was published long ago, preparations for holding the examination are complete, and that postponement is no longer possible.