Police baton-charge students near Parliament

Police baton-charged student protesters gathered near the National Parliament complex on Tuesday evening, dispersing them from the road in front of the South Plaza.

The protesters had been staging a sit-in on the road outside the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad (National Parliament) when police used batons to disperse them.

Earlier, students from several colleges launched protests against the government‍‍`s decision to hold Monday‍‍`s Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations despite continuous rain and widespread waterlogging. They also demanded the resignation of the Education Minister. On Tuesday, they gathered in front of the South Plaza of the National Parliament as part of their movement.

Throughout the day, the protesters held demonstrations and road blockades at different locations across the capital. At around 5:45 p.m., they crossed a police barricade and reached the Parliament complex.

Earlier in the day, at around 11:30 a.m., the students blocked the road at the Science Lab intersection. About 45 minutes later, at 12:15 p.m., they lifted the blockade and marched through New Market to the residence of the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Dhaka, where they staged another demonstration. After police asked them to leave, they moved to the Dhaka Education Board office and continued their protest there for some time.

Later in the afternoon, the students returned to the Science Lab intersection and enforced a second round of road blockades for nearly an hour before beginning a march toward the National Parliament.

Chanting slogans, the procession advanced from Science Lab toward the Parliament complex. Although police set up a barricade near Asad Gate, the protesters crossed it and reached the entrance to the South Plaza, where they staged a sit-in.

The protesters demanded the resignation of the Education Minister, reforms to the country‍‍`s education system, and the swift implementation of their demands. Law enforcement personnel remained on high alert to keep the situation under control.