Planning and Education Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud has urged the students to return to their institutions, following protests demanding various reforms, including establishing an independent university for seven affiliated colleges with Dhaka University.
“The government is doing its best to restore order and normalcy to the education sector, which has been in a chaotic state,” he remarked on Wednesday.
The adviser acknowledged that while some demands are reasonable, others may conflict with one another, mentioning: “Meeting one equity-based demand may create disparities elsewhere.”
The education adviser emphasized that significant reforms in the education sector have far-reaching implications, making immediate solutions challenging.
“The activists behind these demands see their priorities as paramount and believe they can be resolved through street protests. This not only causes significant public inconvenience but also prevents the government from adequately addressing the issues,” he added.
The adviser noted that the government has formed a committee of experts to evaluate the students' demands, which will produce a report within six weeks.
“The issues began several years ago when these colleges were transferred from the National University to Dhaka University, a decision that has led to problems for both institutions,” he explained.
While discussions with student representatives have occurred multiple times, he urged students to exercise patience and return to their educational institutions.
“There is no precedent for making immediate decisions regarding the establishment of a new university through road blockades and ultimatums. Therefore, I request students to avoid creating public inconvenience and to return to their campuses,” he added.
Students from seven colleges affiliated with Dhaka University on Wednesday continued their protests, demanding the abolition of the Reform Commission and the establishment of an independent university.
The movement, which began over a month ago, included a planned all-day blockade.
Protesters gathered at the Shaheed Minar of Dhaka College around 11am and marched to Science Lab, where they initiated the blockade.
After nearly six hours of protest, students from the seven colleges in Dhaka left the Science Laboratory intersection around 5pm.
Sit-ins at Nilkhet caused significant traffic disruptions on nearby roads, including Shahbag, Mirpur, and Mohammadpur, leading to severe congestion.
The colleges involved in the protests include Dhaka College, Begum Badrunnesa Government Girls' College, Eden Mohila College, Government Bangla College, Government Shaheed Suhrawardy College, Government Titumir College, and Kabi Nazrul Government College.
Chanting slogans such as “Education, not business; break the syndicate; abolish the committee, form a commission,” the protesters voiced their frustration over current educational conditions.
Their demands have intensified since September 22, as they call for greater autonomy and improved governance within their institutions.
Although these colleges were affiliated with Dhaka University in 2017, students argue that the quality of education has not improved.
The protesters highlighted a multitude of issues, including a lack of quality educational environments, insufficient qualified teachers, infrastructural deficits, inadequate laboratories and research facilities, overcrowded classrooms, housing and transportation challenges, and the absence of an academic calendar and syllabus.
Additionally, delays in exam result publications have become a major concern.
