Agriculture Alliance Announces Nationwide ‘Agri Blockade’
In protest against what they described as the “unjustified” demands of diploma holders and to press for their own three-point demand, the Krishibid Oikya Parishad has declared a nationwide ‘Agri Blockade’ on Sunday, August 31. The program will be observed not only in agricultural universities but also in science and technology universities across the country.
According to an announcement made in the organization’s Facebook group, students of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University will stage the ‘Agri Blockade’ at Agargaon in Dhaka at 4:00 pm.
Elsewhere in the country, the program will be carried out at different times. At 10:30 am, students of Rajshahi University will hold their blockade at the university’s main gate. At 11:30 am, students of Patuakhali Science and Technology University will block the Dhaka-Patuakhali highway. In the afternoon, students of Khulna University will stage their protest at the main gate, Shaheed Mir Mugdha Toron, at 3:00 pm. At the same time, students of Sylhet Agricultural University will gather at the July-36 Gate, while at 4:00 pm, students of Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University (HSTU) will stage their blockade at the university gate.
Additionally, students of Gopalganj Science and Technology University, along with all agricultural universities and agriculture faculties of science and technology universities, are set to participate in the program. As part of the schedule, the agriculture department of Gopalganj Science and Technology University will hold a protest rally at 1:00 pm to press for the three-point demand.
The announcement follows a torch procession organized by agricultural students at Bangladesh Agricultural University on the night of August 30, protesting offensive remarks made on social media about their female peers and demanding fulfillment of their three-point demand.
Regarding the movement, one of the organizers of Krishibid Oikya Parishad and a student of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Imran Hossain Imon, said: “For a long time, the agricultural graduates have been voicing their logical demands. We had hoped for a neutral solution through the government and appropriate authorities in a peaceful manner. But our silence and peaceful movement have been misinterpreted as weakness. Tomorrow, a countrywide ‘Agri Blockade’ will be organized. If our demands are not met, more stringent programs will follow.”
