Protesting Pupils Present New Plea
Engineering university students leading the ongoing protest have rejected the government-formed committee addressing their earlier three-point demands and presented a new five-point charter, officials announced during a press conference outside Dhaka’s InterContinental Hotel on Wednesday afternoon, August 27.
The five demands include: Home Affairs Adviser Jahangir Alam Chowdhury must appear before the protesting students, apologize for the incident, and provide accountability. The committee formed by government notification is rejected, and a new committee including university faculty and representatives of the protesting students must be immediately established.
Zubair Ahmed, a representative of the protesters, said, “In protest against the attacks on the students of the Engineers’ Rights Movement, Home Affairs Adviser Jahangir Alam Chowdhury must come before the movement participants, apologize for the incident, and provide accountability. We reject the committee formed through notification as we have no representation in it.”
He added, “The committee must be restructured immediately with stakeholders of the Engineers’ Rights Movement, including faculty representatives. The previously presented three-point demands must be implemented at the earliest and formalized through an executive order. Advisers Mohammad Fauzul Kabir Khan, Adilur Rahman, and Syed Rizwana Hasan must provide assurance today.”
Ahmed also demanded that the government bear all medical expenses for students injured in the police assault, ensure protection for all students during the ongoing movement, prevent any further attacks by police, and immediately arrest and dismiss those responsible for the violence.
Earlier on Wednesday, around 1:30 pm, protesters attempting to proceed to the principal adviser’s residence at Jamuna were blocked by police at the InterContinental junction. When they attempted to cross barricades, police deployed tear gas and sound grenades, injuring several students. A prolonged chase ensued between both sides.
During the demonstration, students raised slogans including: “No compromise, struggle, struggle, struggle,” “Merit, not quota, merit, merit,” “One voice for all: Diploma Technician,” “End illegal diploma quota,” “Stop injustice in the name of quota,” and “Break the quota system, restore the rights of merit holders.”
