Students block Shahbagh and major intersections as part of ‘Bangla Blockade’

Students protesting against the reinstatement of quotas in government jobs have staged a demonstration on Sunday, effectively blocking the Shahbagh intersection, one of the busiest roads in the capital, as part of their "Bangla Blockade" campaign. 

Beginning at Dhaka University Central Library, hundreds of students convened around 3:00pm and initiated a procession by 3:20pm, paraded various campus routes, according to our correspondent.

The protest escalated as some Dhaka University students obstructed the Chankharpul intersection near Mayor Hanif Flyover at 3:30pm, cutting off access to the flyover. 

Subsequently, around 3:50pm, hundreds of students also blocked the Shahbagh intersection. Many more job-seekers blocked Banglamotor intersection as well around 5pm.

Simultaneously, students from Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University staged a blockade near Agargaon around 3:45pm, as said by Ahad Ali, officer-in-charge of Sher-e-Bangla Police Station.

The resulting gridlock has severely impacted traffic in the area. This marks the sixth consecutive day of protests, during which students plan to obstruct key intersections in Dhaka and highways near campuses across the country. 

The planned intersections for blockades include Chankharpul, Shahbagh, Science Lab, Agargaon, Mohakhali, and Paltan areas in the capital.

In a separate action, students of Dhaka College and neighboring institutions blocked the road in Dhaka‍‍`s Science Lab area around 1:30pm, disrupting traffic movement. 

Additional police were deployed to monitor the situation closely, as confirmed by Parvez Islam, officer-in-charge of Dhanmondi Police Station.

Earlier in the day, hundreds of students from Jahangirnagar University blocked the Dhaka-Aricha highway near their campus for about two hours, causing extensive traffic congestion. 

According to Ashulia Police Station officer-in-charge AFM Sayeed, the students left the busy highway around 1pm.

Similarly, students from Barishal University blocked the Barishal-Kuakata highway to protest the reinstatement of quotas. 

Their protest continued in the Nathullabad bus stand area until at least 2:00pm, marked by slogans advocating for the abolition of the quota system.

Arichul Haque, the officer-in-charge of Kotwali Police Station said that the students refused to abandon the Dhaka-Barishal-Kuakata highway barricade. As a result, the OC noted, local and long-distance buses were unable to leave Nathullabad within that time.

The Rath Yatra of today will not be obstructed by the "Bangla Blockade", according to the demonstrators.