Highlights

• Students demand recruitment exams be restricted to BSc holders
• They staged a five-hour blockade yesterday from 3pm to 8pm
• A “March to Dhaka” programme has also been declared
• Protesters oppose quota-based promotions and misuse of the “engineer” title

Students of engineering universities have blocked the Shahbagh intersection in Dhaka for the second consecutive day today (27 August), pressing home their three-point demand.

As part of their pre-announced “March to Dhaka” programme, the protesters began occupying the main road at Shahbagh around 11am.

The blockade has brought traffic to a halt in and around the busy intersection.

Shahbagh Police Station Officer-in-Charge Khalid Mansur told TBS that traffic is being diverted through alternative routes.

At the intersection, students were seen chanting slogans and holding posters and banners stating their demands, similar to yesterday’s (26 August) protest.

A heightened police presence was also deployed in the area to prevent any untoward situation.

As part of their “March to Dhaka” programme, protesters have also called for nationwide solidarity among engineering students. Students from institutions across the country have been urged to join the demonstration at Shahbagh.

Their demands include making entry tests mandatory for all candidates seeking recruitment in the ninth grade of engineering or for posts such as assistant engineer, with eligibility restricted to those holding at least a BSc degree.

They also oppose promotions through quotas or by creating equivalent positions under different titles. At the same time, they demand that recruitment tests for the 10th grade (sub-assistant engineer posts) be open to both diploma and BSc holders.

In addition, protesters called for legal measures against individuals using the “engineer” title without holding a BSc degree, and for non-accredited BSc engineering programmes to be brought under IEB-BTEB accreditation following proper procedures.

Nishad Rahman, a 21st batch student of the Department of Civil Engineering, said, “This is our prolonged movement but the government is not paying any attention to our demands. So, we have been compelled to take to the streets.”

Yesterday, students staged a similar blockade from 3pm until 8pm, disrupting traffic for about five hours before withdrawing. Vehicular movement resumed later in the night.