Students of seven colleges took to the streets at 11:30 am yesterday, blocking the capital's Nilkhet intersection for more than two hours. This resulted in lot of suffering for commuters who were stuck in long tailbacks because of the demonstration.

The agitated students roped off the intersection, halting traffic movement for more than two hours, causing severe traffic congestion in the area.

They barred every vehicle and even pedestrians from crossing the intersection till noon. Some of the students sat in the middle of the road and chanted slogans.

Demonstrating students of the seven DU-affiliated colleges yesterday gave ultimatum to the university authorities for publishing their 2nd year final result by this month.

On information, DU VC Prof Akhtaruzzaman reached the spot at around 1:45pm and assured them of publishing the results by February 25.

Photo: Amran Hossain/Rashed Shumon,

Rejecting the vice-chancellor's assurances, the students of 2014-2015 sessions threatened to go for tougher movement from February if the authorities fail to publish the results by January.

The VC later said that they would take necessary measures to publish the result within the shortest possible time and if possible, they would do it by this month.

The students placed a five-points demand which included publication of the results of 2nd year final exam by this month, beginning the honours third year final examination by March, immediate publication of their academic calendar, immediately finishing final exams of all sessions, including the 2012-2013, one holding examinations of all sessions of degree courses and publication of their results within the shortest possible time.

Following further assurances by the DU VC, the students ended their demonstration with a threat to wage tougher movement from February if the authorities fail fulfil their promises.

“We are calling off our protest upon assurance of the VC but we would go for tough movement if our demands are not met within the given timeframe,” Toufiq Mahmud, a third year student of Dhaka College 2014-15 session, told The Daily Star.

DU VC Mohammad Akhtaruzzaman assures them of publishing the results. Photo: Amran Hossain/Rashed Shumon,

The second year final exam of 2014-2015 session was held on January 7, 2017 under the National University (NU). As the colleges gained affiliation with DU on February 17 last year, the university took their viva-voce and the responsibility of preparing and publishing their result now falls on them.

Earlier on November 25 of last year, the DU authorities published the honours final year result of 2011-2012 session after the students demonstrated for several times in the capital demanding its publication.

Yesteryday's protest follows other demonstrations by a section of Dhaka University (DU) students demanding scrapping of the affiliation with the seven colleges.

BCL BARRED PROTESTORS AGAIN

Leaders and activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League yet again barred some students from joining yesterday's movement, by threatening to evict them from the halls and harassing them verbally and physically.

As the two colleges-- Eden Mohila College and Dhaka College-- are nearest to where the demonstrations took place, their students played a key role in yesterday's demonstration and, thus, faced the brunt of the harassment.

BCL leaders of Eden Mohila College on Wednesday night directed the students not to join the protest citing instructions from the student body's top brass, said one of the victims, on condition of anonymity.

Some BCL leaders, including Joint Convener Tasleema, along with others, started hurling abusive words towards the protestors when they joined the protest defying the command, one of the assaulted female students alleged.

They also punched two female students, leaving one injured.

Contacted, Tasleema rejected the allegations saying that she only instructed the students to form the human chain peacefully without blocking the roads.

The BCL leaders of Dhaka College also tried to bar their fellow classmates from continuing the protest but later allowed it after failing to stop them, alleged one of the protestors from the college.