Polytechnic students enforce campus shutdown nationwide to press 6-point demand

Students of polytechnic institutes nationwide have launched a shutdown programme to press home a six-point demand.

This morning (29 April), students locked the administration buildings of their respective institutions, halting both academic and administrative activities.

At Dhaka Polytechnic Institute, students were seen locking academic buildings, the principal's office, and the main entrance gate from around 11am. They also chanted slogans in support of their demands.

Around noon, leaders of the Karigari Chhatra Andolan (Technical Students' Movement) held a press conference at the Shaheed Chattar on the Dhaka Polytechnic campus. The ongoing programme is being carried out under the banner of this organisation.

Shahzada Ahmed, a student of Sherpur Polytechnic Institute and the Dhaka divisional representative of Karigari Chhatra Andolan, said, "We have received assurances at various times. However, we have not seen any steps taken to fulfil our demands. As a result, we have been forced to announce a shutdown programme. Under this programme, all types of academic and administrative activities will remain closed."

He added, "Our programmes will remain within the campus so that the general public does not have to suffer."

Zubayer Patwari, a student of Dhaka Polytechnic Institute and a central representative of the movement, said, "The committee formed by the Technical and Madrasah Education Division will not be able to fulfil all our demands. Some of our demands are addressed to the education adviser and the chief adviser. As a result, we want a technical education reform commission to be formed. The shutdown programme will continue until our demands are met."

Polytechnic students have been protesting since 16 April to realise their six-point demand.

They temporarily suspended the demonstrations on 22 April as the Ministry of Education formed a committee to review the students' demands.

However, students resumed protests on Sunday (27 April).

The students' demands include the cancellation of the "controversial appointment" of craft instructors in 2021, abolition of open-age admission to the Diploma in Engineering course, and legal provisions to reserve 10th-grade (sub-assistant engineer) posts for diploma engineers.

They are also demanding a ban on the recruitment of individuals without technical education backgrounds.

In addition, the students are calling for the establishment of a separate "Ministry of Technical and Higher Education", the formation of a "Technical Education Reform Commission", and the creation of a high-quality technical university.