DU Correspondent :
The student-led movement demanding quota reform in all government jobs is gaining momentum nationwide.
Each passing day sees increased participation and attention, now with a significant development at the new campus.
As part of the scheduled activities of the second-day Bangla blockade against quotas, students have effectively blocked several major intersections in the capital, further bolstering the movement’s impact.
Simultaneously, rail communication in three districts has been severed in Dhaka as students obstructed railway lines as part of the blockade.
Chittagong University activists blocked the Dhaka-Cox’s Bazar railway, while those from Rajshahi University disrupted the Dhaka-Rajshahi railway, and Bangladesh Agricultural University students affected the Dhaka-Mymensingh railway.
Following the withdrawal of the protest from Shahbagh around 8:30 p.m., movement coordinators announced plans for extensive communication through online and offline media on Monday, in preparation for a nationwide strike across 64 districts on Wednesday.
“The government insists this is a matter for the courts to resolve, but we believe it requires government action,” stated Nahid Islam, one of the movement’s coordinators.
“If conditions do not change, we will not remain silent with only a half-day blockade. We will call for a comprehensive, day-long blockade across the country.
Tomorrow, we will coordinate among our peers through both online and offline platforms to prepare for this,” he added.
Furthermore, to ensure the smooth implementation of the quota reform movement, a 65-member coordination committee was announced on Monday under the banner of the ‘Anti-Discrimination Student Movement,’ comprising student representatives from various universities.
A committee of 23 coordinators, including Dhaka University students Nahid Islam, Sarjis Alam, and Hasnat Abdullah, along with 42 co-coordinators, has been established to oversee the ongoing nationwide blockade.
Nahid Islam emphasised the need for this committee due to the prolonged nature of the movement, which has made coordinating participants across the country increasingly difficult.
Yesterday, residents of Dhaka encountered a more complex blockade as student protests escalated. Students from Amar Ekushey Hall of Dhaka University and Sheikh Burhan Uddin Post-graduate College blocked the Chankharpul crossing and the adjacent ramp of the Mayor Hanif Flyover.
Similarly, students from Dr. Mohammad Shahidullah Hall and Fazlul Haque Muslim Hall blocked the Paltan crossing and ‘Sikkha Chottor’.
Additional blockades were organised by Dhaka University students at the Shahbagh to Catabon intersection and the Shahbagh to Karwan Bazar crossing.
Meanwhile, students from Government Titumir College blocked the Framgate and the adjacent ramp of the elevated expressway, and Dhaka College students blocked the Science Lab crossing.
Students from East-West University and neighbouring institutions took action on the Rampura-Badda highway, while Sher-e Bangla Agriculture University students blocked the Agargaon crossing.
In other areas, Jagannath University (JnU) students staged a protest by blocking Zero Point in Gulistan, a major area of Dhaka. Despite police attempts to intervene at various points, the students continued their march towards Zero Point.
At Jahangirnagar University, students gathered at the main gate and blocked the Dhaka-Aricha highway, a crucial route for North Bengal and Mymensingh, for four hours.
In Rajshahi, students from Rajshahi University disrupted rail communication by blocking tracks near the university central graveyard from 11:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., affecting travel between Rajshahi and other parts of the country.
These protests have significantly disrupted daily life and transportation across various regions, underscoring the escalating demands of the student movement for their grievances to be addressed.
Students of Bangladesh Agricultural University expressed their agitation by blocking the railways near the Jabbar intersection of the university, which resulted in the disruption of the Jamalpur Express and halted Dhaka-Mymensingh rail communication between 1:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.
Similarly, students from Chittagong University blocked the Sholshahar Railway Station in the city, causing the Parjatak Express, heading from Cox’s Bazar to Dhaka, to become stranded for approximately half an hour.
Outside Dhaka, Comilla University (CU) students staged a sit-in protest on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway, a vital commercial route between the capital and Chattogram.
The blockade included students from several National University Colleges, including Comilla Victoria Government College and medical colleges.
At Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET), students organised their first protest rally for the ongoing movement.
They gathered in front of the university’s central library, holding various placards, and stationed themselves at the main gate.
Additionally, Kushtia University students blocked the Kushtia-Khulna highway, declaring their intent to continue their demonstrations until their demands are addressed.
Meanwhile, students from Barishal University participated in a blockade on the Barishal-Kuakata Highway from around 12:00 p.m., disrupting traffic for three hours.