Students of Dhaka College staged a blockade at the Science Laboratory intersection in Dhaka on Tuesday morning, protesting the assault of a higher secondary student and the harassment of a teacher amid growing tensions over the proposed merger of seven major government colleges into the newly proposed Dhaka Central University.
The protest began around 10 a.m., with Dhaka College higher secondary students occupying the intersection and chanting slogans. Students from other government colleges also joined the blockade in solidarity.
Vehicular movement in the area has come to a standstill due to the blockade, causing severe traffic congestion along Mirpur Road and adjacent routes.
Meanwhile, members of the BCS General Education Association, representing officials of the BCS General Education Cadre, observed a nationwide work stoppage on Tuesday in protest of the incident. They also wore black badges and staged sit-ins at government colleges, madrasas, and education offices across the country.
The controversy surrounding the proposed Dhaka Central University continues to deepen, with the situation turning increasingly confrontational. On Monday, reports emerged of a Dhaka College teacher being harassed and a student assaulted during campus unrest related to the university merger issue.
In response, the BCS General Education Association announced a daylong countrywide work abstention and protest program, calling for justice and condemning the attack on educators and students.
As of Tuesday noon, traffic police urged commuters to avoid the Science Lab area and use alternative routes, as demonstrators continued their blockade demanding accountability for those involved in the assaults.
