Staff Correspondent
Engineering students protesting for three demands tried to march toward the Principal Adviser’s residence near the Jamuna on Wednesday. Police blocked their path. When the students resisted, scuffles broke out between them and the police. At one point, the police fired sound grenades, deployed tear gas, and used water cannons. A chase ensued between the students and the police, eventually dispersing the students.
The incident occurred after 1:30 pm. Earlier, as part of the pre-announced ‘Long March to Dhaka’ program, students had gathered on the main road of Shahbagh around 11 am, which blocked Shahbagh and nearby streets. Around 1:30 pm, the students moved toward Jamuna, attempting to pass the Hotel InterContinental corner, where the police intervened.
Several students were injured in the incident. Ahsan Ullah, a student at the University of Science and Technology, Naeem Mirza, told Prothom Alo, “I was at the front of the procession. Suddenly, something struck my left leg with a loud noise.” The students’ demands include: not allowing diploma engineers to use the title ‘Engineer’ before their name, not promoting diploma engineers to the ninth grade, and ensuring opportunities for graduate engineers in tenth-grade jobs.