Why people suffer amid the university demand demonstrations?

Currently, there are 53 public universities in the country. Among them, students of seven colleges affiliated with Dhaka University (DU) have been protesting for the establishment of a full-fledged university, demanding the creation of an independent university. Over the past few weeks, these students have gathered on various roads in Dhaka almost every day, except for weekends and government holidays. This has caused severe traffic jams in those areas and nearby roads, leading to a lot of inconvenience for the public.

The latest reports indicate that on Monday, November 18, while students of Government Titumir College were protesting for the conversion of the college into a university, they blocked the Mohakhali rail gate and staged a demonstration. During this protest, they threw stones and bricks at a moving train, injuring several people, including children. The pictures and videos of the injured and bloodied individuals spread rapidly on social media, especially on Facebook, and as a result, the students of Titumir College faced widespread criticism.

Later, the students of Government Titumir College expressed regret for throwing stones at the train. However, they also believe that the railway authorities cannot avoid responsibility for the unintended incident. Previously, we have seen similar unruly activities from the students of Dhaka College. While their demands may be legitimate, such matters should be discussed and decided in consultation with the government or the Ministry of Education. Why create such a confrontational situation for this?

Now, if other colleges across the country also start similar blockades and protests demanding universities, what will be the consequence? If colleges must indeed be converted into universities, then what is the need for colleges to remain, and what is the purpose of having independent universities? It is true that universities have a distinct significance.

In conclusion, the overall education system in the country is deeply entrenched in a state of chaotic disorder. There is little to no comprehensive discussion about changing the anarchy of the education system. Instead, there are only individual demands. Even within these demands, there is no indication or framework that promises any significant change. Rather than a framework, what we observe is a kind of forceful imposition, but is education a matter of force?
The latest news indicates that a decision has been made to form a committee within seven working days to investigate whether it is possible to convert Titumir College into a university. On Tuesday, an advisory team from the interim government held a meeting with a delegation of students at the Ministry of Education.

It appears that only students and advisers are involved in this matter, with no education researchers or academics included. Does this mean the government has no framework for the country's overall education system, and that there is no research being conducted by educators? This is extremely unfortunate. Without improving the quality of the current universities, what will be the outcome of establishing new ones? Furthermore, why must everything be under the jurisdiction of Dhaka University or the National University? With so much pressure and so many responsibilities, how will they manage millions of students?

Compared to the number of students, there are still insufficient universities in the country, and even fewer subject-specific higher education institutions. In this context, without a major framework for the country's overall education system, there will be no change. Both students, educators, and the government must all be actively involved with adequate awareness. Extensive research must be conducted on this issue. Solutions cannot come through mere demands and force.

The biggest issue is that in the process of demanding these rights, many students are becoming a nuisance to the general public, which is certainly undesirable. They should not be made to feel like criminals in any way. It must be remembered that they are victims of the situation, concerned about their future. This has occurred because of the country's chaotic education system, a situation that has been ongoing for a long time. Instead of blaming any specific individual, the current government must take the initiative to completely reform the education system.