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Polytechnic students take to streets with six-point demand

FE REPORT | April 19, 2025 00:00:00


Shrouded in white cloth, students of Dhaka Polytechnic Institute brought out a procession at Tejgaon Saat Rasta intersection in the city after Jumma prayers on Friday to realise their six-point charter of demands. — FE photo

Polytechnic students on Friday brought out massive processions in capital Dhaka and other districts to press home their six-point charter of demands.

Their demands include cancellation of the controversial 30 per cent promotion quota for Craft Instructors, implementation of a four-year quality curriculum with English-medium instruction, proper job placement for Diploma Engineers, reservation of technical management positions for technically qualified individuals, establishment of an independent Technical Education Ministry and creation of a dedicated Technical University.

Students of Dhaka Polytechnic Institute brought out a procession from the campus that marched through different roads of the city.

During the protest, many of the demonstrators shrouded themselves in white cloth.

They vowed to announce a tougher movement if their demands were not realised.

Earlier, the polytechnic students blocked roads on Wednesday at Tejgaon Saat Rasta intersection in the city to realise their six-point charter of demands.

During their agitation, the capital Dhaka came to a standstill due to a long tailback.

Similar processions were also brought out by the polytechnic students in Rangpur, Mymensingh, Tangail, Barisal, Habiganj, Rajshai and other districts in support of the same demands.

They demanded immediate transfer of all 'controversial' craft instructors appointed in 2021 under the Directorate of Technical Education and the continuation of the four-year Diploma in engineering course with each semester lasting six months.

Our Chattagram correspondent reports: Several hundred students from Chattogram Polytechnic Institute blocked a major city road on Wednesday afternoon, protesting the government's decision to give craft instructors a 30 per cent promotion quota for the post of junior instructor.

Their demonstration triggered traffic gridlock leading to immense sufferings to the commuters.

The demonstration, held at the city's 2 Number Gate area, was part of a programme they called the "Bangla Blockade."

Students sat on the road with placards and chanted slogans throughout the afternoon, demanding an end to what they call a threat to the integrity of technical education.

According to the demonstrators, most craft instructors lack formal technical education, with many holding only class VIII or SSC-level qualifications. The students argue that promoting them to junior instructor position -- typically meant for diploma engineers -- would deprive students of proper technical instruction and devalue their own qualifications.

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