Students protest outside Dhaka College demanding issuance of Central University ordinance

Students from several colleges, including Eden Mohila College and Dhaka College, have launched a demonstration, demanding the issuance of an ordinance establishing a Central University.

They began the protest around 1pm on Wednesday, causing severe traffic congestion in the New Market area and difficulties for office-goers, students, and pedestrians, bdnews24.com reports.

Vehicular movement in the area came to a standstill for nearly two hours following the protest.

At around 1:15pm on Wednesday, the seven college students brought out a protest march from Dhaka College. After marching around the Azimpur intersection, they returned and blocked the road in front of Dhaka College after 2pm. They later blocked both sides of the road to stage the demonstration around 3pm.

Naeem Howladar, a representative of the protesting students, said: “Even after three rounds of discussions with the education ministry, there has been no visible progress over the ordinance. Nearly 150,000 students have fallen into extreme uncertainty.”

Moumi, a student of Badrunnesa College, said that the protesters reject the existing “seven colleges” structure, adding: “We demand that the Central University ordinance be issued today."

Fahim Hossain, a student of the Bengali Department at Dhaka College, said: "Our only demand is the ordinance. We will not move until our demand is met."

Earlier at 11am, students from Eden College took to the streets to press home a five-point demand, including keeping the institution reserved exclusively for women and preventing the dissolution of any department.

Later, when the Eden College protesters reached near Dhaka College with a procession, the students from seven colleges brought out another march demanding the issuance of the Central University ordinance.

Eden College students later joined the protest at Dhaka College.