Polytechnic students have announced a "Long March to Dhaka" program, with students from all over Bangladesh, if the government does not make any announcement within the next 48 hours about their demands.
The declaration came during a rally on Sunday in front of Dhaka Mohila Polytechnic Institute in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka.
From early morning, students from various polytechnic institutes across the country began gathering in processions.
They chanted slogans while holding placards bearing their six-point demands.
At the rally, speakers said they have long been protesting to revoke the High Court verdict regarding the promotion of craft instructors serving as junior instructors, to change their job titles, and to dismiss those involved.
Despite eight months of peaceful protests, the government has taken no effective steps, the students claimed.
Mizanur Rahman, a central representative of the Polytechnic Student Movement, said: “If there is no announcement accepting our just demands within the next 48 hours, we will march to Dhaka from all over the country.”
The students said that they do not wish to cause traffic congestion or public suffering but will adopt even stricter programs if necessary to realize their demands.
The rally also condemned and protested the recent attack on polytechnic students in Comilla.
As part of their ongoing movement, on Friday, students marched wearing burial shrouds on their heads, and on Saturday, they observed the "Rise in Red" program.
Earlier on Wednesday, they blocked the Satrasta intersection in Dhaka’s Tejgaon area from morning till evening. However, after discussions with officials of the Ministry of Education at the Secretariat, students expressed dissatisfaction and vowed to continue their protest.
The students’ six-point demands are as follows:
- Cancel the court verdict allowing promotion for craft instructors and permanently dismiss those involved. Additionally, abolish and revise the controversial recruitment regulations.
- Cancel the provision allowing admission into the Diploma-in-Engineering course at any age, and implement a four-year quality curriculum to be gradually taught entirely in English.
- Enforce the provision to reserve the sub-assistant engineer (10th grade) position and stop the undervaluation of diploma engineers.
- Prohibit the appointment of non-technical personnel to administrative positions in technical education and ensure the recruitment of technically educated staff. Also, fill vacant posts for teachers and lab assistants.
- Establish a separate "Ministry of Technical and Higher Education" and form a "Technical Education Reform Commission."
- To expand higher education opportunities for Polytechnic and Monotechnic graduates, establish quality technical universities and launch the admission process in newly built engineering colleges.
