Students from seven colleges staged a sit-in and blocked the main road in front of the Shikkha Bhaban in the capital on Sunday, demanding immediate promulgation of the ordinance for setting up the proposed Dhaka Central University (DCU).
The demonstration began at around 1:00 pm, halting traffic on both sides of the busy road, leading to the Bangladesh Secretariat.
The students under the banner of 'Representing the Seven Colleges' University Transformation Movement' expressed frustration over the delay in finalising the legal framework for the proposed university.
They said no official ordinance has been issued since the Ministry of Education published a draft ordinance. The ministry has also taken public feedback from September 24 to October 9, followed by three rounds of stakeholders' meetings.
They further said without any legal recognition, nearly 150,000 students face identity crisis, academic uncertainty, and jeopardised career prospects.
Their demand follows the Ministry of Education's November 12 announcement, confirming its policy decision to merge the seven colleges into a new public university - DCU.
The ministry also asked the students to "avoid rumours and act responsibly", but offered no timeline for implementation.
The protesting students urged the government to enact the ordinance swiftly. They warned that further delay could provoke them to wage broader student movement in future.
talhabinhabib@yahoo.com