Students of polytechnic institutes across different districts today (17 September) blocked roads in Dhaka’s Tejgaon, Chandana intersection in Gazipur, Dhaka-Barishal Highway, Chowhatta area in Sylhet and Dinajpur to press home a four-point demand, including withdrawing all support for the unjustified three-point demand of BSc engineering students.

The students’ four-point demand includes:

1. Ensure the maximum punishment for those involved in the “Engineering Rights Movement” who publicly threatened to shoot and slaughter diploma engineers.
2. Immediately halt all activities conducted in support of the unjustified three-point demand of BSc engineering students.
3. Fully implement the six-point framework and recommendations earlier submitted by Karigori Chhatra Andolon, Bangladesh (Technical Students’ Movement).
4. Introduce a one-channel education system in engineering.

Their initial six-point demand includes:

1. Removing controversial craft instructors recruited after 2021
2. Limiting sub-assistant engineer (10th Grade) positions to diploma engineers only
3. Removing the 30% quota for craft instructors.
4. Abolishment of open-age admission in Diploma in Engineering courses
5. Creation of a separate “Ministry of Technical and Higher Education”
6. Establishment of a “Technical Education Reform Commission” and a high-quality technical university

However, the polytechnic students started their protests again as their six-point demand was not implemented. Also, BSc engineers demonstrated with three-demands, which the polytechnic students are now protesting against.

The three-point demand of BSc engineers includes:

1. Only candidates with a minimum BSc in Engineering degree should be eligible for Assistant Engineer (Grade-9) posts. No new posts should be created under quotas or other titles to allow promotion.
2. Recruitment exams for the post of Sub-Assistant Engineer (Grade-10) posts should be open only to diploma engineers and BSc graduates in the same discipline.
3. Legal measures must ensure that no one without a BSc in Engineering degree may use the title of engineer. Non-accredited BSc courses must also be brought under Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB)-The Board of Accreditation for Engineering and Education (BAETE) accreditation without delay.