Protests resume, city traffic in chaos

Protesters at Dhaka University, as part of an indefinite strike at educational institutions for a gazette abolishing quota in government jobs, blocked Shahbagh intersection in the capital on Monday, causing immense sufferings to commuters caught in traffic tangles. 
Traffic in areas surrounding Shahbagh came to a halt between 1:00pm and 7:15pm, which caused huge suffering to city dwellers, especially patients and people returning from offices.
Bangladesh Sadharan Chhatra Adhikar Sangrakkhan Parishad began their indefinite strike at public universities on the day as the government did not respond to their deadline for a gazette abolishing quota in government jobs as was announced by prime minister Sheikh Hasina on April 11.
No classes were held at Dhaka University, Jahangirnagar University, Rajshahi University, Chittagong University, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology in Sylhet, Begum Rokeya University in Rangpur, Barisal University and others during the strike.
A joint convener of the Parishad, Nurul Haque Nur, said that they would continue their strike at universities and colleges and sit-in at Shahbagh intersection until a gazette notification was published.
Asked about progress in gazette notification over quota reforms, cabinet secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam said that it was in progress. 
He said he had come to know that the public administration ministry had already sent a summary of a proposal on formation of a committee to be led by him over reform of quota system in government jobs. 
It might take a couple of days to issue a gazette notification on formation of the committee as directed by the prime minister earlier to resolve the issue, the cabinet secretary told reporters at the secretariat after the weekly cabinet meeting.
At Dhaka University, several hundred students began their sit-in at Shahbangh intersection about 1:00pm blocking the roads. They earlier picketed in support of their strike on the campus since morning. 
They also brought out a mammoth procession from in front of Dhaka university central library that paraded arts faculty, social science faculty, TSC and Curzon Hall areas before ending at Shahbagh. 
Rashed Khan, another joint convener of the Parishad, alleged that different ruling party leaders and cabinet members assured them of gazette notification of PM’s announcement by May 7.
‘But we are not seeing any progress regarding gazette notification,’ he said.
The sit-in at Shahbagh caused huge tailbacks and the worst suffers were people returning from offices, elderly people and patients to and from hospitals like Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical College hospital, BIRDEM hospital, Dhaka Medical College hospital and others.
Many were seen walking towards their destinations. Cashing in on this situation, rickshaw-puller and auto-rickshaws charged double and triple fares, said Mashiur Rahman, who was walking toward his Mirpur home.
About 7:15pm, Nurul Haque Nur said that they were calling off their protest for the day. ‘We will continue indefinite strike,’ he added.
The protesters took to the streets on February 17 and continued the protests for reducing quota in government jobs to 10 per cent from the existing 56 per cent.

Jahangirnagar University students set off a procession from the front of the university’s central library on Monday demanding government notification with a reform in quota system in government jobs.      — New Age photo

The protest intensified from April 8 onwards.
In the face of protests across the country, prime minister Sheikh Hasina announced in parliament on April 11 that the quota system in government jobs would be abolished. 
The demonstrators called off their protest on the day demanding immediate publication of a gazette of PM’s announcement.
The protestors on April 26 gave government time until April for gazette notification and extended it till May 7. They on May 9 again gave government till May 10 and on May 13 issued a third ultimatum till 5:00pm on the day for gazette notification.
New Age correspondent in Chittagong reported that students of Chittagong University staged sit-ins on rail tracks, blocking CU shuttle train service from 7:00am to 1:00pm on Monday.
No trains left Chittagong’s Sholoshohor Railway Station for the CU campus since morning.
Several hundred students gathered at Sholoshohor Railway Station and blocked rail tracks, said Sahab Uddin, station master of Sholoshohor Railway Station.
New Age Jahangirnagar University correspondent reported that protestors enforced strike and staged demonstrations on campus.
During the strike, classes and examination of some department were closed but most of the department took their pre-schedule examinations.
Shakil Uzzaman, convener of the university unit of the Parishad, said they would continue their movement till the publication of gazette.
New Age Rajshahi University correspondent reported that no classes and examination were held at the university during strike. 
New Age correspondent in Barisal reported that most of the classes of the Barisal University did not take place on the day during the strike.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net