Shroud-wearing students block Nilkhet; 2 students fell sick

The students of seven government colleges affiliated to Dhaka University (DU) have blocked the Nilkhet intersection in the capital demanding to unbound the conditions of CGPA and give them promotion in the next year through quality improvement tests up to three subjects. Two students fell sick during the blockade. 

They marched from TSC, Dhaka University and blocked Nilkhet intersection on Sunday around 12:25 pm. 

Mokhlesur Rahman, who claimed to be the spokesperson of the seven college students‍‍` movement during the protest, said, ‍‍`After nine months, we have been given the results of the examination. It is a big discrimination against us. Students demand that if someone fails in a subject, they should be able to  take the exam next year in that particular subject.

The agitating students said that if the conditions of CGPA are not fulfilled, authorities will have to retake the exam in all subjects - this is a discriminatory decision. Their prostest will continue until a solution is found. 

A student who came to the movement said, "Conditions regarding CGPA and improve the quality of up to three courses and give us an opportunity to sit for the final exam next year must be accepted. In continuation of that demand, our blockade program is going on today." 

Another student said that DU is supposed to give the results in three months but still they published results after one and a half year. Teachers do not take classes in colleges. We do not want to pass after failing. We are looking for promotion next year. We will obviously take exams for the subjects we could not pass. Still why, DU can not give a decision?"

Police members of Newmarket and Lalbagh police stations have taken up position at Nilkhet intersection to avoid any kind of volatile situation.

Earlier on August 16 from 10 am to 1 pm, seven college students held sit-in and blockade program at Nilkhet intersection. In the same week, they also observed fast till death in front of the National Press Club. 

Supriya Bhattacharya, co-ordinator of seven colleges and principal of Eden College, could not be reached despite several phone calls to discuss the matter.

The students have been holding various programs for a few days demanding the opportunity to go to the next year (promotion) by taking quality improvement tests upto three subjects  by relaxing the conditions of the CGPA. Earlier on August 22, they blockaded Nilkhet intersection.