Medical Assistants Training School (Mats) students staged a sit-in protest in front of the National Press Club, strongly condemning the police assault on their peaceful demonstration.
The protest, organized under the banner of the General Mats Students’ Unity Council, began at noon on Monday.
Addressing the gathering, one of the key coordinators, Ahmad Ullah Mansur, said that despite assurances from the Ministry of Health, no tangible steps have been taken to meet their four-point demand.
He added that during their peaceful demonstration on Sunday, police posed an attack, injuring several students, many of whom are currently undergoing treatment in hospitals.
He further claimed that numerous journalists were also subjected to police violence during the incident.
Ahmad Ullah Mansur said: “Just like the attack on August 5, the police once again assaulted my fellow students yesterday. We strongly condemn and protest this brutality. We also demand legal action against the police officers involved in the attack.”
He criticized the ministry’s inaction, stating that despite promises, the presence of authoritarian influences within the ministry is preventing the acceptance of their legitimate demands.
He alleged that when students approach the directorate for discussions, they are provoked into protests and treated with hostility.
"We are determined to achieve our rightful demands, even at the cost of our lives," he added.
He also informed that a delegation of students has gone to the ministry for discussions and a new course of action will be announced in the evening after their return.
On Sunday afternoon, a five-member delegation met with officials at the Ministry of Health.
However, before their return, students initiated a long march towards the Secretariat at around 4pm.
Upon reaching the Education Building at approximately 4:45pm, police intervened and resorted to baton charges to disperse the demonstrators.
Their four point demands include -- immediate recruitment in vacant 10th-grade positions, creation of new employment opportunities in both public and private sectors, revision of the course curriculum and renaming of institutions as Medical Institutes, abolishment of the proposed Allied Health Professional Board and the establishment of an independent Medical Education Board of Bangladesh and provision of higher education opportunities in clinical subjects aligned with international standards and recognized by BM&DC.
