Staff Reporter :
Hundreds of students from the seven government colleges affiliated with Dhaka University (DU) staged a protest by blocking Mirpur Road near the Science Lab intersection in the capital on Sunday evening.
The roadblock, joined by over 200 students, caused significant traffic congestion in surrounding areas, including Science Lab, Nilkhet, and Elephant Road.
The protest began after students met with Dhaka University Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Mamun Ahmed to discuss the progress of their five-point demand. Allegedly, the pro-VC “misbehaved” with the students during the meeting, prompting them to take to the streets.
Zakariya Bari Sagar, a student of Kabi Nazrul Government College, stated that the students had inquired about the progress of a previously submitted memorandum regarding the 2024-25 admission process.
Their demands included abolishing the quota system, reducing seat numbers, and other key issues. According to him, the pro-VC treated them disrespectfully and dismissed their concerns.
“Our demand is that the admission test for the seven colleges be conducted as per our requirements. The authorities
are delaying decisions that directly affect us, and today we are protesting the pro-vice chancellor’s misbehavior,” Sagar added.
The protesters also demanded that no students be admitted beyond classroom capacity and that the teacher-student ratio be considered during the admission process. Additionally, they called for the introduction of negative markings in admission tests to ensure fairness.
Further demands included greater transparency in admission fees, with a proposal that fees be deposited into a dedicated account managed by a special committee formed by the Ministry, instead of Dhaka University directly.
The demonstration remained peaceful but led to widespread traffic disruptions, highlighting the urgency of addressing the students’ demands.
