Islamic University students block highway demanding ban on Awami League

Students of Islamic University (IU) in Kushtia have blocked the highway demanding a ban on the Awami League.

Around 3:30pm on Friday, under the banner of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, they blocked the Kushtia-Khulna highway in front of the university's main gate. This caused traffic congestion on both sides of the highway.

During the protest, students performed parody songs demanding the ban of the Awami League. Later, at around 4pm, they cleared the road, reiterating their demand for a ban on the Awami League and calling for swift justice.

Earlier, the students had gathered at the university's Bat Tala. From there, they brought out a protest procession that marched through various roads on the campus before occupying the highway.

During the procession, students chanted slogans such as “The student community has awakened,” “No place for Awami League in Abu Sayed's Bengal,” and “Power to the people, people, people.”

• Protesters block Shahbagh demanding Awami League ban

Present at the protest were Anti-Discrimination Student Movement IU Coordinator SM Sweet, Co-Coordinators Nahid Hasan and Tanvir Mondal, Chhatra Shibir’s Student Movement Secretary Mohammad Zakaria, President of Khelafat Student Majlis IU branch Sadeq Ahmed, and President of Islami Chhatra Andolan IU branch Ismail Hossain Rahat, among others.

At the time, Coordinator SM Sweet said: “Although it has been almost a year since the movement began, the interim government has yet to take any action against the Awami League. This government came to power by walking over the blood of students and people. But whenever we demand a ban on the Awami League, the government talks about various processes.”

He added: “They seem to have forgotten that the fall of the Awami League did not happen according to any rules. The students and people dragged them down from power. Even now, Awami League and Chhatra League leaders and activists are roaming freely across the country. Swift justice must be ensured against the Awami League. The students and people will return to their homes only after the Awami League is banned.”