Staff Reporter :
Students from Government Titumir College, demanding the institution’s transition into a university, blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway in Mohakhali’s Amtoli on Sunday evening.
The protesters, carrying a banner that read “Barasat Barricade to North City,” began their blockade around 6:30 pm after marching from the college campus.
Nayek Noor, one of the protesting students, stated, “We have taken position on the main road in Amtoli, and the blockade will continue for several hours.”
Another protester, Mehedi Hasan, explained that the blockade was in response to Education Adviser Dr Wahiduddin Mahmud’s statement that “no special measures were taken” to upgrade the college into a university.
Police personnel equipped with a water cannon have been deployed to the area.
Earlier, female students from Titumir College took to the streets to
reject the adviser’s statement, reiterating their demand for the college to be recognised as a university.
Protesters warned of intensified demonstrations following Dr Mahmud’s comments that forming a university based solely on student demands was “not logical.”
Abdul Hamid, a Political Science student and protest participant, criticised the adviser’s remarks, calling them contradictory. “We categorically reject his comments and are prepared to escalate our protest further.
Many of our fellow students are in critical condition after days of hunger strike. Yet, the adviser mocks us. He must be held accountable,” he said.
At a press briefing following an Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) meeting, Dr Wahiduddin Mahmud stated: “The government-formed committee is working to establish an independent university for the seven colleges previously affiliated with Dhaka University, including Titumir.
However, it is not logical to set a deadline or make impulsive decisions in response to student demands.”
The protests continue amid reports of students maintaining a hunger strike for five consecutive days, with some in critical condition.
