Students of Government Titumir College have blocked railway tracks in the capital’s Mohakhali area protesting for an independent university status. This has caused a disruption in rail communication between Dhaka and the rest of the country.
The protest began at around 3:40 p.m. on Monday, February 3, when students blocked the railway crossing in Mohakhali. Prior to this, at approximately 2:45 p.m., they marched from the college to the crossing.
Anwar Hossain, the station master at Dhaka Railway Station, confirmed that the blockade had halted rail traffic between Dhaka and other parts of the country. The Jamuna Express and Kalni Express were stuck waiting at Kamalapur Station, while the Coastal Express and Silk City Express were delayed at Tejgaon Station.
Meanwhile, a large presence of police and armed forces was observed around Mohakhali’s Amtali area. Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel were also stationed in the area, along with a water cannon truck.
Earlier, at around 12:30 p.m., the students had blocked the road in front of Titumir College using bamboo and chanted slogans as part of their protest.
The students have warned that if their demands are not addressed by Monday night, or if no contact is made with them, they will escalate their protest with more intense actions.
Among their three primary demands, the students are calling for the recognition of Titumir College as a university by the government, the publication of an academic calendar, and the withdrawal of the education advisor’s statements. They are also demanding that international-standard higher education be ensured in all institutions, with the proper institutional recognition based on merit.
