Students block Dhaka-Barishal highway in protest
Students are staging a demonstration by blocking the Dhaka-Barishal highway, demanding full disclosure of information regarding the deaths and injuries in the aircraft crash on Milestone School and College in capital’s Uttara, as well as protesting the rescheduling of the ongoing HSC exams in the middle of the night.
Till writing this report around 3:00 pm today, Tuesday, the students had been carrying out their blockade, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded on both sides of the highway.
The protest began around 12:00 pm today in front of the Barishal Education Board office, adjacent to the Nathullabad Bus Terminal in Barishal city.
Students from various colleges in the city joined the demonstration. In consequence of this blockade organised by general students, vehicular movement was disrupted on the Dhaka-Barishal highway, causing severe congestion and immense suffering for long-distance travellers.
During the demonstration, students held a Gayebana Janaza (funeral prayer in absentia) on the highway in Nathullabad in memory of those killed in the Uttara aircraft crash. After the funeral, they offered prayers seeking peace for the departed souls.
Protesting students alleged that the actual number of those killed and injured in the aircraft crash at Milestone School and College in Uttara has not been disclosed yet. Many families are unable to locate their children. The demonstrators are demanding proper information about the casualties.
Imam Hossain, Shahriar Rumman, and Zahidul Islam among others spoke at the demonstration of protesting students. They said the government failed to show the level of responsibility expected after such a tragic incident in which so many children lost their lives or suffered burn injuries.
They also criticised the Ministry of Education for not postponing Tuesday’s HSC examination initially and then issuing a revised schedule late at night. They claimed this was unfair to the millions of students and that they were not given any scope for proper preparation under such distressing circumstances. Such attitude is unacceptable.
When asked about the matter, chairman of the Barishal Education Board Yunus Ali Siddiqui told Prothom Alo, “We also received the notice of exam postponement late at night. As soon as we received the notice, we informed all colleges.”