Anti-quota protest: Students block Dhaka-Aricha, Cumilla-Ctg, Kushtia-Khulna highways
The protesting students warned they will go on a long-term movement if their demand is not met
Students of government universities have enforced their day-long Bangla Blockade along major highway routes of the country, including Dhaka-Aricha, Cumilla-Chattogram, and Kushtia-Khulna in protest of the reinstatement of the quota system in government jobs.
Students of Jahangirnagar University blocked the Dhaka-Aricha Highway since this morning.
According to the previous announcement of "Bangla Blockade" by students across the country, JU students gathered in front of the central library of the university around 10am today and marched toward the highway.
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They blocked the Dhaka-Aricha Highway around 10:30am halting vehicular movement on the road. The protesting students plan to continue the blockade till sundown.
However, ambulances and emergency service vehicles will be outside the purview of this blockade, said the students.
Students have also blocked the rail line in Mahakhali.
Quota reform protesters block Dhaka-Chattogram highway amid rain
Amid rain quota reform protesters have blocked the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway.
As part of their day-long "Bangla Blockade" today (10 July), they took control of the Kotbari Bishwaroad area in Cumilla. The protest was scheduled to start at 10am but began at 11am.
Traffic jam extends from Dhaka-Chattogram Highway to Cumilla city
As part of the day-long blockade programme today, the protesters occupied the Kotbari Bishwaroad in Cumilla.
Students from Cumilla University, Victoria Government College, and other institutions in Cumilla participated in the programme at 11am.
After the protest began, a traffic jam spanning several kilometres formed on both sides of the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway. In addition to occupying the highway, students created obstacles by pulling ropes and placing tree trunks on the road.
Rakib Hossain, a student of the Department of Physics at Comilla University and a protester, said, "Our movement is not meant to cause inconvenience to the public. We are protesting for a greater cause. We will not return home until our demands are met.
Due to the blockade on the highway, traffic pressure increased in Cumilla city. Many vehicles entered the city via Alekharchar, Jagurjhuli, and Kotbari Bishwaroad, causing congestion.
Abdul Kaiyum, a student of the Department of History at Cumilla Victoria Government College said, "The protest was pre-announced. Avoiding the highway during this time would have reduced people's suffering."
The blockade will continue till 8am and the protesters plan to spend this long protest with stage plays and cultural events.
Iqbal Bahar Majumder, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Moynamoti Highway Police Station, said, "The traffic jam has not become too long yet. If the programme extends, the congestion may increase."
Students block roads and railway in Khulna demanding withdrawal of quotas in govt jobs
Quota reform protesters have blocked roads and railways in Daulatpur, Khulna, demanding the withdrawal of the quotas in government jobs.
The blockade started at 11am today (10 July) at the New Road intersection in Daulatpur, Khulna city. Due to the students' obstruction, the Simanta Express train from Jashore to Khulna was delayed by almost an hour.
Students from Khulna University and colleges under National University in Khulna jointly organised this protest.
The protesters stated that they would not leave the streets until their demands were met.
Meanwhile, they also announced a blockade on the Dhaka-Khulna Highway in Sachibunia today afternoon.
Students block Kushtia-Khulna highway
Students of the Islamic University in Kushtia blocked the Kushtia-Khulna Highway as a part of the Bangla Blockade' programme at 11am today demanding quota reform.
The protesting students took a position in front of the university's boltola and from there they brought out a procession circling the important roads of the university. Later they blocked the Kushtia-Khulna highway.
DUET students block roads, railways in Gazipur demanding abolition of quota system
As part of the "Bangla Blockade" programme demanding the abolition of the quota system in government jobs, students of the Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology (DUET) blocked roads and railways in Gazipur.
Vehicular movement on the Dhaka-Joydebpur-Shimultala regional highway and train services on the Dhaka-Rajshahi rail route were halted for an hour.
The students said the quota system had to be abolished, threatening bringing the country to a standstill otherwise.
Hanif Ali, the station master of Joydebpur Railway Junction, said, "Train services have been halted for about an hour. We have been informed, and the administration has also notified us, that students have blocked various locations, leading to this disruption.
Earlier, yesterday (9 July ) the coordinator of "anti-discriminatory student movement", Nahid Hasan, announced the nation-wide morning-evening "Bangla blockade" programme today in a press conference in front of the Dhaka University Central Library.
The students blocked the highway today as part of the programme.
They said they are carrying out a peaceful blockade programme in a bid to materialise their one-point demand of reinstating the 2018 cancellation order of the quota system.
If this demand is not accepted soon, the protesting students said they plan to go on a long-term movement.
Abdur Rashid Jitu, joint convener of the JU unit of the Anti-discriminatory student movement, told The Business Standard, "We have taken to the streets for a fair demand. We have been on the road for the past week. We are not leaving the streets until our demands are met. If there is no solution soon, our programme will be prolonged further."
Regarding the hearing of the Appellate Division scheduled for today, he said, "Our movement in 2018 was for quota reform, our demand is still the same. Our demand is to abolish the unreasonable and discriminatory quotas in all grades of government jobs and maintain a minimum quota for the disadvantaged groups as mentioned in the constitution by passing a law in the parliament.
"However, if the hearing of the appeal before the full bench of the Appellate Division is entirely in our favour, we will consider it later."
Since 2 July, university students have been holding sit-ins, organising marches and blocking roads and highways, demanding the reinstatement of the 2018 quota cancellation circular.
The 2018 rounds of quota reform protests were called off when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina declared the abolition of the system in April of the same year.
Although protestors had sought reformation, the PM said, "If we go for reforms [of the quota system], another group will come up after a few days and say 'we want further reforms'. This issue will keep coming if the quota system remains. But if it ceases to exist, there will be no problem. So, there's no need for having a quota system."
The High Court on 5 June ordered the government to retain the 30% freedom fighter quota in government jobs.
It also declared illegal the circular issued on 4 October 2018 cancelling the quota system.
Soon after the verdict, students announced their non-stop movement.
The quota system was introduced through an executive order in 1972 and was amended several times.
