Students of the Medical Technology and Pharmacy programs on Monday blocked Barisal-Kuakata road for a second day, staging an agitation rally to press for their six-point demand to ensure quality and proper health services for the public.
The staged the protest rally and blocked the road at the Amtala junction on Barisal-Kuakata highway from 12pm to 2pm.
Commuters suffered due to the road blockade for two hours on the highway.
The protesting students said that they have been protesting for six points, but the authorities have not fulfilled any of their demands.
In the coming days, if any of their demands are not met, they will announce strict agitation.
The protest program was addressed by Sultan Abid Hasan of Barisal Institute of Health Technology, Nasrullah, central joint convener, Muhammad Zidan of Barisal branch committee of Anti-Discrimination Medical Technology and Pharmacy Chhatra Sangram Parishad.
Sabrina, an IST student, said that they have been raising their demands to the authorities for a long time, but so far not a single demand has been met.
The speakers outlined a six-point demand, including upholding proportional promotion for graduate medical technologists and pharmacists in the ninth-grade positions. They called for ensuring quality and proper public health services and demanded the establishment of independent inspectorates for medical technologists and pharmacists.
Participants also demanded 10th-grade ranks for diploma holders and the creation of positions proportional to World Health Organization guidelines.
They urged the resumption of the recruitment process, which was suspended in 2013, with a focus on swift and prioritized hiring.
Further demands included the establishment of a Medical Technology Council to provide professional licensing and a Diploma Medical Education Board.
Meanwhile, the road blockade program created a massive traffic jam on about an area of about five kilometers on both sides.
During this time, traffic on 22 routes including Patuakhali Kuakata, Barguna-Jhalakathi was suspended, causing great suffering of the people and passengers.
