The Dhaka University students' protest against the proposed metro rail route through the university campus is illegal, Road Transport Minister Obaidul Quader has said.
While speaking at a meeting in Dhaka on Saturday morning, the Minister termed the protest illegal, reasoning the government had earlier taken permission from the universty authorities.
Hundreds of students of the University as well as teachers formed a human chain in front of Raju Bhaskarja on Thursday protesting the proposed route of metro rail through the university campus.
The minister also announced the construction work of the much-talked-about metro rail project in the capital will begin in next month.
The protesters claimed that the metro rail would greatly hamper the academic atmosphere inside the campus with loud noise, and urged the government to find an alternative route.
The protesters alleged that the route plan through the campus is also an insult to the memories of Raju, Kazi Nazrul Islam and the three leaders, whose memorials and mausoleums are on the campus.
The first phase of construction of the metro railway is expected to be finished by the December 2019, while the whole project would be completed by 2024.
24 trains are expected to run from Uttara to Motijheel via Pallabi, the west side of Rokeya Sarani and Farmgate, Hotel Sonargaon, Hotel Ruposhi Bangla, TSC of Dhaka University, Doel Chattar and Topkhana Road. The routes would be extended up to Sayedabad from Bangladesh Bank through Atish Dipankar Road.
Read Next: DU students protest metro rail route through campus