Polytechnic students block Tejgaon road over six-point demand

Students of different polytechnic institutes blocked a road in Tejgaon's Satrasta area this morning to press home their six-point demand.

The blockade has caused a long tailback on roads in the neighbouring areas. Many commuters were seen walking to their destinations.

Photo: Amran Hossain

More than 1,000 students blocked the road, halting traffic movement to press for their demands, said Gazi Shamimur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Tejgaon Industrial Police Station.

The students were still on the road, the OC said around 11:35am.

Students at different polytechnic institutes block a street in Tejgaon’s Satrasta area in the capital around noon yesterday, halting traffic movement and causing citywide gridlocks. They demonstrated as part of their countrywide programme to realise their demands, including cancellation of a High Court verdict on the promotion of craft instructors to junior instructors. They called a railway blockade for today. Photo: Amran Hossain

Earlier in the morning, the students gathered in front of Dhaka Polytechnic Institute and later marched towards the road, witnesses said.

Photo: Prabir Das

During the demonstration, the students called for the immediate acceptance of their six-point demands and also warned of launching a tougher movement if their demands are not met immediately.

Their six-point demand includes the transfer of "controversial craft instructors" recruited after 2021, ensuring four years of education in the diploma engineering course, and making each semester a full term of six months.

Photo: Amran Hossain

Photo: Amran Hossain

They further demanded that no one other than diploma engineers be allowed to apply for the post of deputy assistant engineer (10th grade), and that the post of deputy assistant engineer and other equivalent positions be reserved exclusively for diploma engineers.

Photo: Prabir Das