Polytechnic students halt protests after govt assurance on 6-point demand

Polytechnic students across Bangladesh have decided to temporarily suspend their nationwide movement following the government's assurance to address their six-point demands.

The decision came after the formation of an eight-member government committee tasked with drafting a roadmap for implementation and submitting a report within three weeks.

Mashfiq Islam, a representative of the 'Technical Student Movement, Bangladesh', announced the suspension during a press conference at Dhaka Polytechnic Institute on Tuesday night (April 22).

"The ministry has asked for three weeks’ time, and we’re suspending our protest in good faith. However, if there’s no visible progress, we will resume the movement," he warned.

The movement had seen widespread participation by polytechnic students demanding reforms in technical education and fair job placements. The key demands include:

1. Cancellation of Illegal Promotions: Revoking unlawful promotions of craft instructors and addressing irregular appointments made in 2021.

2. Diploma Course Reforms: Introducing a modern four-year curriculum, age limit for admission, and phased English-medium instruction.

3. Job Reservation Enforcement: Ensuring diploma engineers are appointed to their designated positions, especially the 10th-grade Assistant Engineer post.

4. Skilled Recruitment: Preventing non-technical appointments in key posts and hiring qualified technical staff and teachers.

5. New Ministry and Commission: Establishing an independent ministry for Technical and Higher Education and a reform commission.

6. Technical Universities: Setting up specialized universities and ensuring full admission quotas in new engineering colleges.