Protest for assaulting student and harassing teacher: Students lift blockade at Science Lab intersection

The protesting higher secondary students of Dhaka College have lifted the road blockade they enforced at the Science Laboratory intersection in the capital, protesting the assault of a fellow student and the harassment of a teacher.

The students withdrew the blockade around 11:30 am today, Tuesday, when Dhaka College principal Professor AKM Elius Hossain persuaded them to do so.

Later the students unblock the road and go towards the New Market with a procession. Following this the traffic resumed through that area of the Mirpur road.

The protest began around 10:30 am today amid escalating tensions over the government’s proposal to merge seven major public colleges into the newly proposed Dhaka Central University.

Dhaka College’s higher secondary students occupied the vital intersection and were seen chanting slogans demanding justice.

Students from other colleges have also expressed solidarity and joined the blockade.

Within an hour of the programme, Dhaka College principal Professor AKM Elius Hossain came to the spot and persuaded the protesting students to lift their blockade.

Meanwhile, members of the BCS general education association, representing officials of the BCS general education cadre, are observing a daylong nationwide work abstention, wearing black badges and holding sit-in programmes across government colleges, madrasahs, and other offices in protest at the harassment of a fellow teacher.

As part of the programme, they have been organising events at the Dhaka College auditorium.

Tensions surrounding the proposed Dhaka Central University merger plan have deepened, with student and teacher groups taking opposing stands.

The situation turned violent on Monday when a higher secondary level student of Dhaka College was assaulted and a teacher reportedly humiliated on campus, triggering widespread outrage within the education community.