Dhaka College students block road over university reform protest

On Tuesday morning, higher secondary students from Dhaka College blocked the Science Lab intersection, disrupting traffic. They protested against the proposed “Dhaka Central University” framework, claiming it would remove higher secondary studies from seven government colleges involved in the plan.

The students also voiced concerns about a scuffle on Monday, where teachers allegedly detained a student to prevent him from joining a related protest. Students from these colleges have been demanding a dedicated university since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina’s regime last year, with previous affiliations to Dhaka University and the National University.

While the government has proposed a new university, opposition has emerged from teachers who argue that it would harm the colleges’ heritage, make current infrastructure obsolete, and negatively affect higher secondary education. Tensions rose when a scuffle broke out between students and teachers over the demand for a swift ordinance revision.