7-college students block roads across Dhaka

Commuters in Dhaka are facing severe traffic disruption as students from seven colleges under Dhaka University have again taken to the streets.

The protest brought several major intersections to a near-standstill.

Students from the colleges, under a singular banner, earlier said they would resume their blockade at key intersections including Science Laboratory, Technical, and Tantibazar today.

They are pressing a single-point demand for the immediate issuance of an ordinance to establish "Dhaka Central University."

The protesters have vowed to continue their sit-in until the interim government's Advisory Council, which is reportedly scheduled to meet today, approves the draft of the Dhaka Central University Act 2025.

They said yesterday (14 January) that they had learned from ''a source'' that a meeting of the Advisory Council would be held.

According to protesters, the education ministry had previously assured them that all formalities would be completed by December last year, but no ordinance has yet been issued regarding the Dhaka Central University.

The blockade, which is scheduled to begin at around 1pm, may result in massive tailbacks across the city.

Vehicular movement in Puran Dhaka, Mirpur, Gabtali, and the Science Lab-Dhanmondi areas were severely affected during yesterday's sit-ins. Office workers and students heading to various examination centers were among those hardest-hit by the gridlock.