The students protesting against the quota system announced the "Bangla Blockade" programme on Saturday following a procession at the Shahbagh intersection of Dhaka. The blockade will be observed nationwide today.
Nahid Islam, a coordinator of the Boishommo Birodhi Chatra Andolon, announced the event and said, "The ‘Bangla Blockade’ programme will start at 3 pm on Sunday. Students will hold demonstrations at Shahabagh Square, Chankharpool, Motijheel, Nilkhet, and Science Lab intersections.
These protests began recently in response to the High Court's latest decision to reinstate the quota system in government jobs.
Nahid, urging the students outside Dhaka to block the highways of all districts and universities, said, “Students will conduct the ‘Bangla Blockade’ programme at every university and college level throughout the country, and we will make a success of this."
He said, "This is the movement of all students of the country. Their spontaneous participation proves it.
He raised a question, “Is it a crime to want equality in opportunity and equality in government jobs?"
Boishommo Birodhi Chatra Andolon coordinator further added, "We hear that the leaders of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) are preventing students from participating in the movement. To them, we say, we know how to break the locks of the halls. History shows that in 2018."
Earlier, a large protest rally started from Dhaka University’s Central Library area at around 3.15pm. Thousands of students from the university and various other institutions of Dhaka joined in the procession, which progressed via the VC Chattar-TSC- Bakshi Bazar-BUET-Eden College-Home Economics College-Nilkhet-TSC-and finally blocked the Shahbagh intersection for the six consecutive days.
The protesters stayed true to their cause there till 5.30pm.
The students chanted several slogans including “Blockade, Blockade, Blockade Shahbagh,” “Dofa Ek Dabi Ek, Quota Not Comeback,” “Principle of Constitution/Liberation War, Equality of Opportunity”, "Bury The Quota System", "No Place for Discriminations in My Sonar Bangla", "Medhabi Der Kanna Ar Na Ar Na", and "Keep The Country's Talent in The Country, “Abolish the Quota System".
However, no traffic congestion was seen in the Bangla Motor, Science Lab and Kakrail areas due to the administration's alternative routing decision.
