Anti-quota movement getting stronger in Barishal

Barishal Correspondent :
Students of Barishal University (BU) on Thursday have blocked the Barishal-Kuakata highway under the ‘Bangla Blockade’ program demanding the abolition of the quota system in government jobs. Students blocked the Barishal-Kuakata highway in front of the main gate of Barishal University at 3:15 pm on Thursday. This has caused severe traffic jams on both sides of the road.
At this time, the students demanded the cancellation of all discriminatory quotas, except for the quotas for disabled and backward ethnic groups. In this direction, the protesting students have warned to continue the movement in any situation to make the movement successful.
The protesting students, chanting slogans, ignoring the intermittent rain, sat on the Barishal-Dhaka-Patuakhali and Kuakata highways, peacefully played cricket and volleyball. They blocking the road and highways demanded the abolition of the discriminatory quota system in government jobs. The agitating students have warned to continue the movement in any situation to make the movement successful.
On the other hand, students of Barishal University blocked Barishal-Kuakata highway from morning and stalled everything on the road, Sujoy Shubo, coordinator of BU student movement, confirmed the fact.
Students of Government Barishal College, Syed Hatem Ali College and Shaheed Abdur Rab Serniabat Textile Engineering College also joined in the movement on Wednesday. Besides, the students of different public and private colleges in Barishal express their solidarity with the movement of students of Barishal University and Government BM College.
As a result of this movement of the students, the road communication system of Barishal with other parts of the entire country including the southern region became closed from noon to afternoon.
Passengers and various vehicles are jammed on the road for a long time. On Wednesday, from 11 o’clock, the students started protest by blocking the highway adjacent to the central Natullabat bus terminal of the city. At this time, the students demanded the cancellation of all discriminatory quotas, except for the quotas for disabled and backward ethnic groups.
As a result of the road blockade, severe traffic jams have been created on both sides of the highway for at least three kilometers. Common passengers and various pedestrians suffer in this.
However, the students permitted the ambulance and cars carrying patients to cross the blocked road.
Huzaifa Rahman, a student of BM College, said that although this country was liberated in the Great War of Liberation in 1971, today the quota system is carrying Pakistani exploitation and discrimination. We want to get rid of this quota system. Our demand is that the government job recruitment process should be conducted on the basis of merit. We students want to go back to classes like before and sit on the streets.
Besides, the drivers of inner and inter-district vehicles, stopped at Natullabat and Ruptali bus stands, said that every day we are facing great financial loss because our vehicles are not allowed to leave on time.
They also said that in this country, the price of goods is skyrocketing due to road blockade is going on.