Students have blocked demonstrations, rallies and roadblocks in different parts of the country, including Dhaka, Bogra and Barisal, demanding the resignation of Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Haque Milon. Traffic on several important roads was disrupted due to these programmes from Tuesday (July 14th) morning.
Students of different colleges started protesting from the morning at the Science Lab intersection in the capital. Traffic in the area was stopped after blocking the Mirpur road for about an hour from 11am. Later, a section of the protesting students moved in front of Dhaka College and the other part towards the VC premises of Dhaka University.
Students of Dhaka City College, Dhaka Ideal College, Government Bangla College, Siddheshwari Girls College, Lalmatia School and College, Rajarbagh Police Lines School and College, BF Shaheen College and other educational institutions participated in the programme.
The protesters chanted slogans including “One, the demand one” “the resignation of the education minister”. They alleged that there were multiple mistakes in the question of the physics test and the quality of the question paper has been made as difficult as the university admission test. At the same time, many candidates could not reach the centre on time due to the hostile weather, some were injured in accidents on the way and many people claimed that the entry cards were also damaged in the rain.
At noon, when the students took a stand in front of the VC premises of Dhaka University, the police prevented them from entering the university area. Later, they took to the Nilkhet-TSC road. Law enforcement personnel were also deployed there.
Meanwhile, students blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway in front of BNS centre in Uttara area of the capital. Traffic officials said the traffic on the road was temporarily suspended.
In Bogra, students of different colleges staged a procession from Satmatha area and rallied in front of the deputy commissioner’s office. The speakers there warned that stricter measures will be taken if the education minister and the education secretary are not resigned within 24hours.
In Barisal, students of different colleges blocked the Dhaka-Barisal highway in front of the education board. During the blockade till noon, long traffic congestion was created on both sides of the highway and the common passengers had to suffer.
The Ministry of Education did not immediately respond to the student’s request. However, the concerned administration and law enforcement agencies are on the ground to monitor the situation.