Students of public and private technical education institutions have announced nationwide grand rallies, including in the capital, to press home their six-point demand. The program will be observed across all polytechnic institutes and technical education centres in the country on that day.
The announcement came during a human chain organized in front of Dhaka Polytechnic Institute in Tejgaon on Saturday, following the conclusion of the “Rise in Red” program.
Zubayer Patwari, a student of Dhaka Polytechnic Institute and a representative of the Technical Student Movement, made the declaration at the event.
Students across the country held placards and participated in the “Rise in Red” program in front of their respective institutions in protest against an alleged attack on students during a similar program in Comilla.
At around 11:45am, students gathered at the main gate of Dhaka Polytechnic Institute and began a human chain.
During the event, they chanted slogans including: “Rokte agun legeche” (Our blood is boiling), “Abu Sayeed Mugdha, Shesh hoyni juddho” (Abu Sayeed Mugdha, the war isn't over), “Desh gorar hatiyar, Gorje utho arekbar” (Tools to build the nation, rise once more), “Comillay hamla keno, Proshashon jobab chai” (Why the attack in Comilla? We demand answers from the authorities).
Zubayer Patwari said: “We are continuing our peaceful movement. We urge the authorities to accept our six-point demand without delay.”
He added: “We are open to discussion, but we will not leave the streets until our demands are met. Justice and proper medical treatment must be ensured for our brothers in Comilla.”
Mashfik Islam Dewan, another representative of the movement, said: “This is a government of the people, a government for the students. We want the government to remove the existing discrimination in technical education and pave the way for building a skilled workforce. We are ready to cooperate.”
Earlier, on Friday, students marched through Dhaka with symbolic burial shrouds tied to their heads in support of their demands.
On Thursday night, they brought out torch processions, while on Wednesday morning, they blockaded roads at key points in the capital including Saat Rasta, Mohammadpur, and Mirpur.
Despite holding a long meeting with the education ministry, students expressed dissatisfaction and decided to continue their protests. The protesters said they would remain on the streets until their demands were fulfilled.
The six-point demand includes: cancellation of illegal recruitment, improvement of the diploma course curriculum, prioritization of diploma graduates for sub-assistant engineer posts, recruitment of relevant professionals in the management of technical education, formation of a separate ministry for technical education, and establishment of high-quality technical universities.
