Following a rail blockade the previous day, students of Rabindra University have staged a blockade on the Jamuna Bridge, demanding the swift approval and full implementation of the Development Project Proposal (DPP) for the construction of a permanent campus.
The protest began at 11:50 am Thursday on the west side of the bridge along the Sirajganj highway.
As a result, traffic between Dhaka and the northern districts has been completely halted in both directions.
The Jamuna Bridge serves as a vital route for about 18,000 vehicles crossing daily between 22 districts of northern Bangladesh and the capital. The blockade has caused severe traffic congestion on the highway, leaving passengers and drivers stranded.
One protesting student said the movement would continue until the DPP is approved and implemented.
The action follows a rail blockade staged in Ullapara, Sirajganj, on Wednesday, during which students blocked train tracks from 9 am to 3 pm, disrupting multiple north- and southbound trains, including those traveling to and from Dhaka.
After ending the rail blockade, students announced the new protest on the Jamuna Bridge and highway.
The demonstrations began on July 26, when teachers, students, officers, and staff boycotted “Rabindra University Day.”
As part of the ongoing movement, protesters have also been blocking the Bogura–Nagarbari highway daily from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., staging street plays, protest songs, and symbolic classes.
