Narsingdi Textile Engineering College students stopped the Dhaka-Sylhet highway to protest the college’s closure, defying the Bangladesh Handloom Board’s request to place it under its Department of Textiles.
Sahe Pratap, Narsingdi Sadar upazila, students have blocked the road from 12:00 pm Tuesday.
The blockage stopped long-haul buses and trucks, causing a 10-km tailback on both sides of the route. Passengers have suffered much.
Students chanted slogans near Sahepratap crossroads at 12:00 pm, according to police and residents. They blocked the road despite police requests to move.
The protesting students claim they have always wanted their college under the Textiles Department.
Instead of accepting their request, the government closed the institution and moved its academic operations to Kalihati Engineering institution, which is disrespectful to the students. Students will oppose the government’s college closure.
The protestors stated they had been moving to make their point for a while. They met with Dhaka’s elite and human chain multiple times as part of their effort. Despite government promises, they have not acted. They want the Department of Textiles to administer Narsingdi Textile Engineering College’s academics.
Narsingdi deputy commissioner Mohammad Rashed Chowdhury and SP Abdul Hannan arrived with local army camp personnel to persuade students to leave the route after hearing the news. The students were still blocking the road around 3:00 pm when this report was filed.
The local police came to disperse the students off the road. Negotiations are now underway to persuade the students to dismantle the blockade.
On December 9, students blocked the route there. Later, 6 January, they detained Handloom Board chair Abu Ahmed Siddique and at least fifteen others in the college lecture room from 3:00 pm. The SP and army commanders intervened and freed the officials at 9:00 pm.