Polytechnic Protesters Parade with ‘Kafon’ in Capital Over Six-Point Demand

Students from both public and private polytechnic institutes staged a dramatic protest march in Dhaka on Friday (April 18), donning symbolic white cloths on their heads—traditionally associated with burial shrouds—to demand the fulfillment of their six-point charter. The march began shortly after 2:00 PM from the Latif Hall gate of Tejgaon Polytechnic Institute and proceeded through Sat Rasta before concluding at the institute’s southern gate.

Following their pre-announced program, students gathered after Jumu’ah prayers, tying white cloths around their heads and chanting slogans. Many carried banners and placards reflecting their demands and frustration.

Abdullah Al Mamun, one of the protesters, stated, “We’ve taken to the streets because this is a matter of life and death for us. We’ve been repeatedly asked to halt our movement with empty promises, but no real progress has been made toward meeting our demands. Today, we symbolically wear the kafon (burial shroud). We are prepared to sacrifice our lives but will not give up our rights.”

Another student, Shammi Akter, said, “We demand rightful recognition in employment. Diploma engineers will no longer tolerate neglect. If the government doesn’t resolve this soon, we’ll launch even stronger programs.”

The students emphasized their repeated attempts to engage in dialogue. “We’ve tried to discuss our demands over and over, but the authorities are ignoring us. They treat us with indifference. This is a fight for our existence, and we will persist in our demands on the streets,” they said.

Earlier, at around 11:00 PM on Thursday (April 17), the organization 'Karigori Chhatra Andolon Bangladesh' announced this protest program. Before that, at approximately 7:30 PM, students had held torch processions across the country, including in Dhaka. They accused the Ministry of Education of deceptive negotiations and condemned the recent attack on protesting students in Cumilla.