Students have consolidated their ongoing four-point demand into a single demand - the reform of the quota system in all grades during government job recruitment.
They also announced a new nationwide blockade program for today to press home the demand.
Nahid Islam, the movement’s coordinator, announced the programme at the end of the Shahbagh blockade at 8pm on Sunday.
He said the main blockade movement will commence in front of the central library of Dhaka University at 3:30pm today. The blockade programme will also begin simultaneously at all public universities and colleges nationwide.
Before announcing the programme, another coordinator, Hasnat Abdullah, said, “So far, we have been protesting with four points. From today, we will protest with one point – keeping the quota for the backward communities mentioned in the constitution, the law should be passed in the parliament by cancelling all kinds of unreasonable and discriminatory quotas.”
Earlier at 7pm, the three coordinators of the quota reform movement – Nahid Hossain, Sarjis Alam, and Hasnat Abdullah – sat for a discussion with police superiors. However, as rumours of their arrest spread, they left without finishing the discussion. After staying until 8pm, they announced the next programme.
The ongoing movement demanding reform of the quota system in government jobs spread to universities and colleges across the country on Sunday. Job aspirants and students protested by blocking roads in front of educational institutions on the day.
As part of the pre-announced central “Bangla Blockade” programme, protesters blocked the Shahbagh intersection for over four hours on Sunday.
Students from various universities seeking jobs have been protesting for the last few days, demanding quota reforms. Since 1 July, they have been continuously carrying out the programme.
Initially, the movement involved university students, but it has now spread to colleges nationwide. Following a call to boycott classes and exams last Thursday, students from various government colleges also participated in the “Bangla Blockade” on Sunday.
Besides Shahbagh, students blocked at least ten other intersections in the capital, including Science Lab, Changkharpool, Nilkhet, Hatirpool Bazar, Hotel Intercontinental, Paribagh, Banglamotor, Kantaban, and Karwan Bazar.
Thousands of students from Dhaka University and other educational institutions in the capital joined the protests, causing severe traffic jams.
Students began gathering in front of the central library of Dhaka University at 2:30pm. They marched under various banners and departments, eventually moving to Shahbagh. The protestors also blocked surrounding roads.
Education Minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury urged anti-quota activists not to fall into the trap of conspirators.
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