Patients bear brunt of blockade

Nurul Amin, 70, a resident of Jatrabari, went to Shyamoli for an eye appointment. 

On his way back, his bus stopped at the Bangla Motor signal, where students had instituted a blockade centring their demands to reform the quota system.  

Nurul then disembarked and began to walk. By the time he reached Paribagh, he was exhausted.

70 years old Nurul Amin came to Shyamoli from Jatrabari for an eye appointment with his granddaughter Sumi. Nurul had to start to walking as his bus stopped at the Bangla Motor signal, where students had instituted a blockade. By the time he reached Paribagh, Nurul was exhausted. Photo: Tausif Kaium

"My grandfather has had knee problems for several years and cannot walk without aid," said Nurul Amin's granddaughter Sumi, 15. 

"Sometimes he uses a stick to walk. Because of the student protests, the buses aren't operating. I thought we could walk, but after a little while, my grandfather couldn't continue, so we had to sit down," she added. 

The ongoing "Bangla Blockade" by students demanding the reform of the quota system in government jobs has caused significant hardships for patients travelling to hospitals.

Due to the shortage of vehicles and the questioning by students at various points, many people faced delays in reaching their destinations. 

However, in some cases, the protesting students assisted by arranging transportation for those in need.

Johra Begum came from Dohar in Dhaka with her son who has mental disabilities to see a doctor. Due to the protests, she had to get off at Farmgate and walk to BIRDEM Hospital. 

Johra Begum came from Dohar with her son who has mental disabilities to see a doctor. Due to the protests, she had to get off at Farmgate and walk to BIRDEM Hospital. After walking a little, her son began to cry, so they had to stop. Photo: Tausif Kaium

But her son, Sabbir Hossain, became tired and sat down on the road at Bangla Motor.

"After walking a little, my son began to cry, so we had to stop here," said Johra Begum.

Asif Mahmud, one of the coordinators of the movement, said, "Our movement has become a people's movement. The suffering of some people also pains us. But we are trying our best to assist those who are out for urgent matters."

Photo: Mehedi Hasan

Since 2 July, university students have been holding sit-ins, organising marches, and blocking roads and highways to demand the reinstatement of the 2018 quota cancellation circular.

The 2018 quota reform protests were called off when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina declared the abolition of the system in April of the same year. 

However, on June 5, the High Court ordered the government to retain the 30% freedom fighter quota in government jobs, declaring the 4 October, 2018, circular cancelling the quota system illegal. 

Soon after the verdict, students announced their non-stop movement.

Yesterday, Nahid Hasan, another coordinator of the "Anti-Discriminatory Student Movement," announced the nationwide morning-to-evening "Bangla Blockade" program during a press conference in front of the Dhaka University Central Library.

The students said they are conducting a peaceful blockade to materialise their one-point demand for reinstating the 2018 cancellation order of the quota system. If their demand is not met soon, they plan to continue the movement for an extended period.
The quota system was introduced through an executive order in 1972 and has been amended several times since.