Engineering students block Shahbagh demanding recruitment reforms

Students from engineering universities, including Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet), blocked the Shahbagh intersection on Wednesday morning to press their three-point demand for reform in engineering recruitment policies.

The students staged a procession and occupied the busy junction around 11:30 am, causing a complete halt in vehicular movement in the area, said Shahbagh Police Station Officer-in-Charge Khalid Mansur. The blockade resulted in severe traffic congestion, forcing many commuters to walk or take alternative routes.

The protest is part of the “Long March to Dhaka” campaign announced by Buet students yesterday. Yesterday, the students had already blocked the Shahbagh intersection for over four hours and called on fellow students to join today’s demonstration. Prior to the blockade, they had boycotted classes and examinations to press their demands.

The students’ demands include:

Recruitment for the 9th grade (assistant engineer or equivalent) must be based on competitive exams with a minimum qualification of a BSc in engineering. Promotions should not be granted through quotas or by creating equivalent posts under different titles.

The existing 100 percent quota for diploma holders in the 10th grade (sub-assistant engineer or equivalent) should be scrapped. The minimum qualification should remain a diploma, but candidates with BSc and MSc degrees must also be allowed to apply.

Strict legal action must be taken against individuals using the title “engineer” without holding a BSc in engineering.