Polytechnic students to hold mass procession after Jumma prayer over six-point demand today
Zubair Patwary, a representative of the protesters in Dhaka, confirmed the matter to The Business Standard over the phone late Thursday night (17 April)
Protesting polytechnic institute students will hold a mass procession wearing shrouds on their heads to press their six-point demand, which includes the cancellation of a 30% promotion quota for craft instructors to the post of junior instructor.
Zubair Patwary, a representative of the protesters in Dhaka, confirmed the matter to The Business Standard over the phone late Thursday night (17 April).
The procession will start after the Jumma prayer, he added.
Earlier on the day, the protesting students announced to launch a stricter movement after a discussion with the government regarding their demands did not turn out 'satisfactory'.
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After a meeting with Additional Secretary of Technical and Madrasah Education Division Rehana Yasmin at the Secretariat around 12pm, the students told reporters about their decision to carry out tougher protest programmes pressing forth their six-point demand.
"We didn't receive any official documents or see any concrete steps from the ministry. They have been stalling progress on every issue," student representative Mashfiq Islam was quoted as saying by The Daily Star on the day.
"Today's discussions were not fruitful. We will soon announce fresh protest programmes to push for our six-point demands," he added.
Earlier today, the polytechnic students were about to observe a rail blockade, disrupting rail communication between Dhaka and the rest of the country as part of their movement.
However, the students later backtracked and said new programmes will be declared after holding a meeting with government officials.
In the face of the polytechnic students' movement, principal of Dhaka Polytechnic Institute Mohammad Mostafizur Rahman Khan was removed from his post and was attached to the Directorate of Technical Education last night (16 April).
Yesterday, the polytechnic students blocked roads and rail lines across the country as part of their movement to meet their six demands, which caused immense suffering to the commuters.
Among the demands are calls to cancel the "controversial appointment" of craft instructors in 2021, abolishment of open-age admission in the Diploma in Engineering course, legal requirement to reserve positions in the 10th grade (equivalent to sub-assistant engineer) for diploma engineers, and prohibition of appointments of those without technical educational backgrounds.
The students also want a separate "Ministry of Technical and Higher Education" and the formation of a "Technical Education Reform Commission" and establishment of a high-quality technical university.
