BSc engineering students– mainly from BUET, RUET, MIST, and other institutions– have been staging protests for months under the banner of the Engineers’ Rights Movement. They are demanding that ninth-grade engineering posts (Assistant Engineer or equivalent) be reserved only for those with at least a BSc degree through competitive exams, and that the practice of creating equivalent posts or giving promotions through quota be stopped.
They also want tenth-grade technical posts (such as Sub-Assistant Engineer) to be open to both BSc and diploma holders through examinations, and that legal action be taken against those using the “Engineer” title without a recognised BSc.
Another of their core demands is that all non-accredited BSc programmes be brought under IEB–BAETE accreditation.
Tensions intensified after an incident in Rangpur where BUET graduate Rokonuzzaman Rokon was allegedly threatened by a group of diploma engineers for backing the BSc students’ cause.
This fueled more protests, including a “Long March to Dhaka” and repeated blockades in Shahbagh in the capital.
On the other side, diploma engineers, under platforms such as the Diploma Engineers’ Welfare Foundation, launched their own movements. They demand that tenth-grade Sub-Assistant Engineer posts remain exclusively for diploma holders, that their promotion quota be raised from 33 % to 50%, that roles between field and desk engineering be clarified, and that their curriculum, faculty ratios, scholarships, and credit transfer opportunities be improved.
BUET students and other BSc protesters have rejected these diploma demands outright, calling them “unreasonable.” They argue that allowing a 50% promotion quota or reserving posts solely for diploma holders undermines merit and diminishes the professional distinction of BSc engineers.
The language used by diploma groups has also been criticised by BSc students as insulting and unacceptable.
Protests in Shahbagh turned violent on multiple occasions, with police deploying batons, tear gas, sound grenades, and water cannons to disperse the gatherings. Yet the protesters have vowed to continue until their three core demands are accepted: BSc exclusivity for ninth-grade entry, open examinations for tenth grade, and legal protection of the “Engineer” title.
The confrontation escalated further on Wednesday in Dhaka as BSc engineering students attempted to stage another blockade in Shahbagh, leading to fresh clashes with police.
Traffic in surrounding areas was brought to a standstill, commuters were heavily disrupted, and the standoff once again underscored how far the conflict has spread beyond campus into the streets of the capital.
Protesters shouted slogans rejecting the diploma engineers’ demands and reiterated that their own three-point charter of demands must be met without compromise.
Police action on Wednesday mirrored earlier patterns– tear gas and water cannons were used– highlighting the government’s growing concern about law-and-order fallout from the unrest.
In response to the spiraling conflict, the government has set up an eight-member committee headed by Road Transport and Bridges Adviser Fouzul Kabir Khan. The panel includes representatives from both BSc and diploma engineers as well as accreditation authorities. It has been tasked with reviewing the demands from both sides and producing recommendations within a month.
Senior Secretary to the Public Administration Ministry, Md. Mokhlesur Rahman, has asked the students to present their demands formally in writing, assuring that the matter is not overly complex and could be solved within “one or two meetings.”
The government hopes this committee will ease tensions, but students on both sides remain skeptical.
While Fouzul Kabir Khan urged them to return to their studies and promised fair hearings for both camps, Wednesday’s fresh clashes in Dhaka suggest that trust in the process is still fragile and that the standoff between BSc and diploma engineers is far from over.
