Polytechnic students bring Dhaka to standstill with six-point reform demands

A group of students under the banner of "Karigori Chhatra Andolon" brought traffic in Dhaka's Tejgaon area to a halt today as they blocked road, demanding reforms in the technical education system.

Several hundred students, representing various public and private polytechnic institutes, technical schools, and colleges, blocked the Sat Rasta intersection for nearly seven hours, starting at 11:30am. 

Their six-point demand list includes the transfer of controversial craft instructors recruited after 2021, a four-year tenure with complete six-month semesters for Diploma Engineering courses, and limiting sub-assistant engineer (10th Grade) positions to diploma engineers only. 

They also called for restructuring the Polytechnic Education Board to be led by individuals with polytechnic education, the recruitment of polytechnic-educated teachers to fill existing vacancies, and the allocation of 100% of seats in proposed engineering colleges for polytechnic students.

The blockade led to severe traffic congestion in several areas of the city, including Rampura, Kakrail, Hare Road, Shahbagh, Karwan Bazar, Farmgate, Bijoy Sarani, Sangsad Bhaban area, Mohakhali, Banani, Eskaton, Moghbazar, and the Dhaka Elevated Expressway's off ramps in Farmgate and Hatirjheel.

Nazmul Hasan, a polytechnic student, expressed their frustration, saying, "We want our institutes to be equivalent to the Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology (DUET). We placed bamboo barricades on both lanes to Moghbazar and Mohakhali. We will not leave until our demands are met."

The students cleared the road after 6pm, following assurances from the government about addressing their concerns. 

Gazi Shamimur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Tejgaon Industrial Area police station, said, "After receiving assurances from the government about meeting their demands, the protesting students left the road. Traffic on this road has returned to normal since then."