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Protesting polytechnic institute students have given the government 48 hours to take action to meet their six-point list of demands.
If visible steps are not taken within that time frame, the protesters have warned of a “long march” programme, reports bdnews24.com.
The Karigari Chhatra Andolan (Technical Students’ Movement) – a platform for the student protesters – made the announcement during a rally of Dhaka district polytechnic students on Sunday.
Md Mashfiq Islam Dewan, a representative of the student protest platform and a student at Dhaka Polytechnic Institute, said: “We have given a 48-hour ultimatum to accept our demands. If no visible action is noted, then we will pursue stricter programmes, even hold a long march if necessary.”
“I want to tell every brother engineer with a diploma and every brother technical student – we have not forgotten the movement of ’87, we have not forgotten the movement of ’13, we have not forgotten the blood shed by our brothers on the street.”
“I want to tell all our brothers – you should all call rallies in solidarity. The movement is not just for students. This is a movement for all – teachers, students, and engineering professionals.”
Student society has dubbed the writ promoting junior instructors to the posts of craft instructors at the institutes as a “black writ”, he said.
“This must be scrapped without delay. If this writ is not dismissed quickly, the rally today will be a protest tomorrow, and a nationwide blockade on the day after that.”
The student leader said further programmes would be announced at night.
A human chain demonstration was held at the Dhaka Polytechnic Institute on Saturday afternoon to push for the six-point list of demands and protest the “attacks” on a protest by polytechnic students in Cumilla. At the end of the programme, the students covered the name of the institute on the main gate with red cloth. The students called the programme “Rise in Red”.
On Friday afternoon, the polytechnic students held mass marches while wearing “burial shrouds”.
The protesters held torch marches at the Dhaka Polytechnic Institute and other technical education institutions across the country on Thursday night after the students said they were not satisfied following a meeting with education ministry officials.
Demonstrators blocked the road in Dhaka’s Tejgaon Saat Rasta, Mohammadpur and Mirpur as well as different parts of the country on Wednesday morning. That night Mohammad Mostafizur Rahman Khan was removed as principal of the Dhaka Polytechnic Institute and vice principal Shahela Pervin was appointed in his stead.
The six-point demands of the protesters are:
• Cancellation of the High Court verdict promoting craft instructors to junior instructor posts, along with a change in the title of craft instructor, permanent dismissal of all involved in the case, and immediate annulment of the 2021 recruitment rules. Protesters also demanded a fair investigation and action against those responsible.
• Continuation of the four-year Diploma Engineering course, and the formulation of a modern, standardised syllabus and curriculum.
• Exclusive eligibility for the post of Deputy Assistant Engineer and equivalent (10th grade) for students who have completed a four-year Diploma in Engineering or Monotechnology (Surveying). Private diploma graduates should receive a minimum basic salary of Tk 16,000.
• Enforcement of the Technical Education Reform Committee's report outlining the appointment of technically educated personnel in positions such as directors, deputy directors, principals, and others within the technical sector.
• Revision of all controversial recruitment rules under the Directorate of Technical Education and publication of recruitment notices to fill vacant posts with technically educated teachers and lab assistants in polytechnic institutes and Technical Schools and Colleges (TSCs).
• Publication of a gazette to establish a university for the higher education of Diploma in Engineering and Monotechnology graduates, and reservation of 100 percent of seats for them in the proposed four engineering colleges in Naogaon, Thakurgaon, Narail, and Khagrachhari.