On the second consecutive day of their “Bangla Blockade” program, students and job seekers have blocked Shahbagh intersection in Dhaka to demand the reinstatement of the government circular issued in 2018 that abolished the quota system in public jobs. They also have three other demands. The protesters gathered at Shahbagh intersection with a procession at around 4:30 PM today, while another part of the procession headed towards the Hotel Intercontinental and Banglamotor intersections to block those areas.
The demonstration began at 3:55 PM from the front of the Dhaka University Library under the banner of “Anti-Discrimination Student Movement.” The procession marched through various streets of the campus and reached Shahbagh intersection at around 4:30 PM. The front part of the procession went to block the Hotel Intercontinental and Banglamotor intersections, while the rear part took position at Shahbagh intersection.
At Shahbagh intersection, the protesters chanted slogans and delivered speeches in support of their demands. The blockade has caused severe traffic congestion as all types of vehicles were halted at the intersection. Police were present at the scene but did not intervene with the protesters.
Meanwhile, according to the announced program, the demonstrators have been boycotting classes and exams and observing student strikes in various universities and colleges, including Dhaka University. At Dhaka University, academic activities have come to a standstill due to the class and exam boycott by students and the work stoppage by teachers demanding the withdrawal of the Universal Pension Scheme gazette notification.
In addition to reinstating the 2018 circular, the protesting students have three other demands: the formation of a commission to remove all unreasonable and discriminatory quotas in all grades of public jobs, with consideration for only disadvantaged groups as per the constitution; quota benefits should not be used multiple times in public job recruitment exams; and vacant positions should be filled based on merit if no eligible candidates are found in the quota. They also demand effective measures to ensure a corruption-free, impartial, and merit-based bureaucracy.
At around 3:20 PM, students from Dhaka College began their procession from the main gate of the institution. They first marched to Science Laboratory intersection, then proceeded to Nilkhet intersection and in front of Eden College, where students from Eden College joined the procession.
