Syed Shemul Parvez :
People from various walks of life are experiencing significant disruption due to the eight-day-long movement by students of Government Titumir College in Dhaka.
While many view the movement as unreasonable, the students remain firm in their demands for university status.
It has been observed that the movement has occasionally been influenced by members of a banned organisation, Chhatra League, who appear to be supporting the demonstrations from behind the scenes.
Although some individuals support the students’ cause, they do not agree with blocking roads as part of the protest. On the other hand, a section of protesters is determined to continue the blockade.
Analysts speculate that this student movement could
potentially pose challenges for the interim government, emphasising the need for vigilance in handling the situation.
Government Titumir College, established in 1968 in Mohakhali, Dhaka, was initially named Jinnah College.
After independence, it was renamed after Titumir, a leader of the anti-British movement.
The college currently has approximately 35,000 students enrolled on its 11-acre campus.
According to reports, leaders and activists of Chhatra League from Titumir College have been mobilising ordinary students to sustain the movement.
Key individuals such as Ripon, Jewel, Saiful, Ibrahim, and Sunny, along with others, are allegedly supporting this cause.
The interim government, however, remains firm in its decision not to convert Titumir College into an independent university.
A five-member committee recently submitted a report to the Ministry of Education examining the feasibility of such a transformation.
The government has decided to adhere to the recommendations of the committee, rejecting the students’ demands despite their protests.
Education Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud reiterated this stance on Sunday, stating that the government would not make any hasty decisions under pressure.
Speaking after a meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC), he noted, “It is not rational to demand the announcement of a university by issuing a deadline.”
The adviser also explained that Dhaka University no longer wishes to oversee the seven affiliated colleges, including Titumir College, and the colleges themselves share the same sentiment.
iscussions are underway to establish a separate university for these institutions under the guidance of the University Grants Commission (UGC).
However, he pointed out that not all historic institutions, such as Rajshahi College, BM College, and Ananda Mohan College, have been converted into universities.
Dr Mohammad Ali Zinnah, a professor at the University of Dhaka’s Institute of Education and Research, supported the adviser’s statement, calling the demand for university status “irrational.”
The protests, which include blocking roads and railways, have caused significant public inconvenience.
On Monday, the blockade began at 12:20 PM and continued until 3:30 PM, disrupting rail services between Dhaka and other parts of the country. Trains were stranded at Tejgaon and Airport Railway Stations.
One of the protest organisers, Ali Ahmed, said, “We apologise to the public for their suffering, but the state has forced us into this situation. We will continue our blockade until the chief adviser or education adviser declares the college a university.”
Students highlighted issues such as session delays, lack of teachers, inadequate laboratory facilities, and dependence on Dhaka University for examinations as their primary grievances.
“It takes 7-8 years to complete a National University programme. We want to end this session jam,” said Mohammad Shimul, a second-year physics student.
Meanwhile, the Home Affairs Adviser, Lt Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, criticised the protests, describing them as a public nuisance. “The students are creating unnecessary harassment for the public.
Their demands seem to escalate daily, but there’s an agenda behind this that remains hidden,” he stated.
Four platoons of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have been deployed to restore order.
BGB’s Public Relations Officer Md Shariful Islam confirmed the deployment following the blockade of the Mohakhali railway line.
Despite formal demands made by students as early as December 2 for feasibility study on university conversion, the Education Ministry has reiterated its position that such a transformation is neither logical nor feasible at this time.
