Polytechnic Students Give Government 48-Hour Deadline to Meet Six-Point Demand

 

Students from Dhaka Mohila Polytechnic Institute staged a demonstration today at Agargaon, blocking the road.

Polytechnic students from across the country today warned they would launch a long march to Dhaka if the government does not address their six-point demand within the next 48 hours.

The announcement was made at a grand rally in front of Dhaka Mohila Polytechnic Institute in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka. Hundreds of students, united under the banner of Karigori Chhatra Andolon Bangladesh, took part in the demonstration that began around noon.

Earlier in the day, students from various public and private polytechnic institutions assembled at Dhaka Polytechnic Institute and brought out a protest procession around 11:00am. The procession moved towards Agargaon and later merged with the grand rally near the Dhaka Mohila Polytechnic Institute.

The demonstrators stated that they have been protesting for over eight months, yet the government has taken no steps to address their concerns. They emphasized that their movement has remained peaceful and well-organized, but warned of more intense actions if their demands continue to be neglected.

“We have no intention of causing public inconvenience, but the government’s inaction has left us with no choice but to take to the streets,” said a student leader.

“If we don’t receive a clear response within 48 hours, we will launch a long march towards Dhaka — and this time, it won’t be just symbolic,” he added.

The students also condemned a recent attack on their peers in Cumilla, which allegedly occurred during a demonstration. Speakers at the rally demanded an impartial investigation into the incident and immediate punishment of those responsible.

Carrying placards and chanting slogans, protesters asserted that their demands are both legitimate and essential to safeguard the quality and future of technical education in the country.

As part of the "Rise in Red" campaign on Saturday, students draped red cloth over campus gates, formed human chains, and held placards at key points and along roadsides.

On Friday, students in Dhaka’s Tejgaon area marched wearing white burial shrouds (kafon), symbolizing their deep frustration. Similar demonstrations were held in Jhenidah, Lakshmipur, Khulna, Barishal, Rangpur, and several other districts.

These protests intensified following disappointment over the outcome of a meeting with education ministry officials at the Secretariat on Thursday. Student representatives said no official documents or tangible commitments were presented, prompting them to announce a new wave of protest programmes.

Their six-point charter of demands includes the removal of "controversial craft instructors" appointed after 2021, converting the diploma engineering programme into a full four-year course with six-month semesters, and reserving the post of deputy assistant engineer (Grade 10) and equivalent positions exclusively for diploma holders.