Home Economics girls wrap today’s demo

The agitating students of Home Economics College wrapped today’s episode of demonstration – a blockade in Nilkhet – with a vow to return tomorrow.

“We have concluded our sit-in programme at 2:10 but we will siege the Nilkhet intersection tomorrow morning,” said Ayesha, one of the organisers of the movement.

Earliaer, hundreds of students blocked Nilkhet intersection again in the morning, second day in sequel over demand for recognising the institution as an institute of Dhaka University.

They blockaded the intersection, that includes the key thoroughfare of New Market, around 10:45am, said Md Moniruzzaman, officer-in-charge of Lalbagh Police Station.

Police were requesting the demonstrators to clear off their blockade, which caused a long tailback on the New Market road and was gradually spreading to adjacent areas.

The students vow to continue their agitation till the demand is met. Photo: Prabir Das

It is an eight-year demand of the Home Economics students that their institution be recognised as an institute of Dhaka University. They allege the institution was subjected to negligence.

“It takes almost nine years to complete graduation from the institution due to session jam” said Tania, a second-year student of the college.

Another student, Aranya Duti Roy, said: “Our teachers don’t want it to become an institute because of transfer issues. But we have session jams and other issues.”

Their other demands include ensuring its autonomy, providing transport and library facilities, ensuring quality education, resolving accommodation problems and appointing adequate number of teachers.