Polytechnic students announce nationwide rally Sunday to press for six-point demands

Polytechnic students have announced a nationwide mass rally to press for their six-point demands. They will observe this programme across the country tomorrow (Sunday).

Following a human chain programme titled ‘Rise in Red’ held today (Saturday), Jobayer Patwari, a representative of the Polytechnic Students' Movement and a student of Dhaka Polytechnic Institute, made the announcement.

During the protest against the attack on polytechnic students in Cumilla, Dhaka Polytechnic students covered the institution’s nameplate with a red cloth.

They chanted slogans such as "From Mama to Master, the demands of the maternal home", "If Duet is an option, where will the diploma students go?", "Why the attack in Cumilla? We demand answers from authorities" and "Non-tech should not exist in the polytechnic."

The voices of the students echoed their frustrations with the system and the perceived inequities faced by polytechnic graduates in the job market, UNB reports.

This protest is part of a broader movement that has seen polytechnic students staging demonstrations for the past four days across Dhaka and other parts of the country.

Their six-point demand, which includes the cancellation of a High Court ruling regarding the promotion of craft instructors to junior instructors, has sparked nationwide unrest.

The students also seek the revocation of the controversial craft instructor recruitment policy that was introduced in 2021, and they are calling for the permanent dismissal of those involved in the legal case connected to these issues.

Earlier, on Wednesday, polytechnic students blocked roads in areas like Tejgaon, Mohammadpur and Mirpur, as part of their protest.

The following day, Thursday, they held a marathon meeting with officials from the Ministry of Education, but when no resolution was reached, they vowed to continue their protest.

Later that evening, torch processions were organised across various regions in the country.

On Friday, students participated in a mass procession, with many wearing shrouds on their heads, symbolising their commitment to the cause, according to the UNB report.