Students of Govt Titumir College, observing a campus lockdown on Tuesday, warned of further road and rail blockades if their demand for university status for their institution was not met with a positive response.
At a press conference near the main gate of the college before noon, one of the movement's coordinators, Matiur Rahman Joy, said: "We have learned that top government officials, including the education adviser, will meet today to discuss our demands.”
The college’s representatives would also attend the meeting, he said, adding that if they did not receive a concrete assurance from the government, they would block roads and railways from 11am on Wednesday.
According to their pre-announced program, students held a protest on campus, chanting different slogans.
On Monday, students marched from the college campus and blocked roads and railways at the Mohakhali rail crossing around 11:30am.
The blockade continued until 4pm, causing severe traffic jams in the capital, with the protesters returning to the college's main road for further demonstrations.
Later that evening, they announced a boycott of all academic activities.
Law enforcement was heavily deployed around the campus in the morning on Tuesday. Unable to leave, students continued their protests within the campus premises.
The three key demands of Govt Titumir College students are the cancellation of affiliation with Dhaka University and separation of Titumir College from the seven DU-affiliated colleges; the formation of a commission to facilitate the transition of Govt Titumir College into a university; and the development of a framework to establish Govt Titumir College as an independent university.