Students of different polytechnic institutes today launched a countrywide protest programme titled "Rise in Red" to press home their six-point demand.
The students of Dhaka Polytechnic Institute under the banner of "Technical Student Movement" formed a human chain around 11:30am as part of the central programme, reports The Daily Star.
Speaking to The Daily Star, central representative of the platform Sabbir Ahmed, said, "As part of the `Rise in Red` programme, the main gates of all polytechnic institutes across the country will be wrapped in red cloth today. Simultaneously, students will form human chains while holding placards, either along the roadsides or in key locations -- ensuring public movement is not disrupted."
He added that the movement will continue until their demands are met.
As part of the ongoing protests, students took to the streets yesterday in the capital`s Tejgaon Satrasta area, wearing white burial shrouds (kafon), and holding a protest march. Similar demonstrations were reported across the country.
They said they would hold a meeting with senior students in Gazipur today to decide the next course of action.
Apart from the capital, polytechnic students brought out similar protests in Jhenidah, Lakshmipur, Khulna, Barishal, Rangpur, and other parts of the country.
The students organised the protest rallies expressing dissatisfaction over the outcome of a meeting with the education ministry officials held at the Secretariat on Thursday.
Following the meeting, student representatives said they did not receive any official documents or see any concrete initiatives from the ministry, prompting them to announce fresh programmes.
Their six-point demand includes the removal of "controversial craft instructors" appointed after 2021, conversion of the diploma engineering programme into a full four-year course with six-month-long semesters, and ensuring that only diploma holders can apply for the post of deputy assistant engineer (Grade 10) and equivalent positions.
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