Students’ Blockade: Dhaka comes to standstill, commuters in awe
Students from several colleges and private universities have brought traffic in the capital to a halt as part of their ongoing movement demanding quota reform.
As of the writing of this report at 1:45pm, traffic has been completely stopped at at least 20 points in Dhaka due to the road blockades.
Since Tuesday morning, thousands of students from at least 14 colleges and private universities have taken to the streets.
Clashes between the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) and students have occurred in the Natun Bazar. Students are chanting slogans such as "Stop the torture, give back the rights," "The movement cannot be stopped by the police," and "Quota or merit, merit, merit”, “Bangladesh will respond to batons, tear gas."
The police claim they are working with patience to control the overall situation and are urging students to clear the roads.
The protest began with BRAC University students blocking the road at Merul Badda, causing severe traffic jams in Badda, Moghbazar, and Natun Bazar.
Many commuters opting for water taxi on Hatirjheel as an alternative route.
North South University students are protesting in front of their campus in the Bashundhara residential area. Police are present at Merul Badda and Bashundhara.
Around 11:30am, ULAB students began protesting by blocking Beribandh Road, leading to significant traffic jams from Gabtali to Dhanmondi via Mohammadpur.
The quota protesters were chanting slogans during their road blockade programme. Photo: Jago News
At 11:45am, a clash occurred between BCL members and UIU University students at Natun Bazar.
Local college and university students have blocked the road in Kajla, Shanir Akhra since 11:30am, creating severe traffic congestion and halting all types of traffic.
Students from Prime-Asia University initiated an anti-quota movement in Banani around noon, blocking roads and bringing traffic to a standstill. They chanted various slogans during the protest.
Students from Dhaka College, Ideal College, City College, Bir Shrestha Noor Mohammad Public College, and Bir Shrestha Munshi Abdur Rauf Public College blocked the Science Laboratory intersection, causing severe traffic jams.
Around noon, East West University and Imperial College students protested by blocking the road at Hatirjheel's Rampura entrance, halting traffic in the area.
In the afternoon, students from private university BUBT and Bangla College blocked roads in Mirpur, stopping traffic.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DC-Media) of DMP, Dr. Farooq Hossain, told Jago News that students have been blocking roads since morning. Additional police have been deployed to maintain normal traffic flow. The police are trying to handle the situation with great patience.
