Students withdraw blockade in Uttara

Protesting HSC examinees have withdrawn their road blockade in the capital's Uttara after a second day of protest with three-point demands. The protesters said they left the road as students from various areas of Dhaka were joining the long march towards the Secretariat and also considering public suffering.

Students staged a road blockade and protest in front of the BNS Tower in Uttara from 1:30pm to 3:30pm on Wednesday (July 15).

Hasan Fahad, a student of Rajuk Uttara Model College, said students from Uttara were joining the long march towards the Secretariat, so they have temporarily vacated the road. He said further programmes will be announced according to the decisions of the protests at Science Laboratory and other central locations in the capital.

Earlier, after the HSC examinations ended, students had taken position in front of the BNS Tower in Uttara and halted traffic. This created a several-kilometre-long tailback on roads leading to the airport, Abdullahpur, Tongi and Gazipur. Ordinary passengers suffered greatly; many were seen walking to their destinations.

Students are continuing their protest with three-point demands, including the postponement of the ongoing HSC and equivalent examinations, the publication of a new schedule, and the resignation of the Education Minister and the Minister for Primary and Mass Education.

Earlier, on Monday, students had staged road blockades and protests at the Science Laboratory intersection in the capital and in various parts of the country with the same demands. As no announcement was made regarding the postponement of examinations by Tuesday, a long march programme towards the Secretariat was announced for Wednesday.