Staff Reporter :
At least 13 students were detained by police in Dhaka on Saturday during a protest demanding an increase in the age limit for government jobs.
The demonstration, organised by student groups advocating for a 35-year-old age limit, turned tense as police blocked their attempt to march towards Gonobhaban, the Prime Minister’s Office.
The protest began with a rally of nearly 400 students gathering at the Teacher-Student Centre (TSC) of Dhaka University. As the rally reached Shahabag intersection, a key traffic point in the capital, they were met with a police barricade.
According to the protesters, police used force to stop their procession, resulting in injuries to some students and the detention of 13 others. The students responded by blocking the Shahabag intersection for nearly an hour.
Later, regrouping at Raju Sculpture near the university, the protesters held a press conference. They issued an ultimatum demanding the release of their detained comrades by 10 pm, threatening a hunger strike if their demands were not met.
The correspondent could not reach officials at Shahabag Police Station for comment. Contacted officer Md. Al Amin, Sub-Inspector of Shahabag Police Station, confirmed the detention of students but provided an inconsistent figure, stating the number to be ‘probably 10 to 12.’
The pre-planned rally at Raju Sculpture received a boost with the participation of Golam Rabbani, a former general secretary of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the ruling party’s student wing. Rabbani spoke in support of the students’ demands.
Rabbani characterized the demand for a 35-year-old age limit as “100 percent logical and just.” He commended the students for pursuing their rights under challenging conditions and highlighted his past efforts in advocating for the cause.
Rabbani further stated that he had previously brought the issue to the attention of the President and Prime Minister, receiving assurances that the matter would be considered.
“Countries we consider role models, including neighboring India, have a 35-year-old age limit for government jobs,” Rabbani argued. “Why can’t we do the same here? I don’t understand the issue with raising the age limit.”