The seven DU-affiliated government colleges will have a dedicated unit to look after them, while still maintaining their affiliations with the university.

It will be formed within the ambit of Dhaka University and will have a separate registrar and other officials who will oversee the seven colleges, Shafiqul Alam, press secretary to the chief adviser, said at a press conference at the Foreign Service Academy yesterday. 

"There will be a designated place in DU to conduct the administrative works [for the seven colleges]."

He said the decision was made at a meeting between protesting students and Education Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud and Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan.

Shafiqul hoped the protests will end following the decision.

Students of the seven colleges -- Dhaka College, Eden Mohila College, Government Shaheed Suhrawardy College, Kabi Nazrul Government College, Begum Badrunnesa Government Mohila College, Mirpur Government Bangla College, and Government Titumir College -- have been  blocking roads in the city to demand a separate university.

They said they have been suffering academically and from session jams.

The colleges were originally under DU until 1992, when they were brought under the National University.

In 2017, following a directive by former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, their affiliation with the DU was reinstated.

Meanwhile, the government, backtracking from its earlier decision, has increased the number of attempts to sit for Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) exams from three to four.

The decision was taken at an advisory council meeting, presided over by Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, at the Chief Adviser's Office in Tejgaon, said Shafiqul.

At an earlier meeting on October 24, the advisory council had decided that the maximum age for applying to government jobs would be 32 and a candidate can apply for a maximum of three times.

The three-attempt limit sparked widespread discussion and debate, prompting the interim government to reconsider the matter.

Yesterday's meeting also decided that all ministries will list down all the vehicles used by the offices under them. It will be done so that the number of government vehicles and their conditions can be known, Shafiqul said.

Also, the press secretary said the verifications of the 18,000 Bangladeshi migrant workers, who failed to enter Malaysia by May 31, has begun.

The workers could not reach the Southeast Asian country within the deadline mainly because of a shortage of flights.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, during his Dhaka visit in early October, had promised to consider the entry of 18,000 Bangladeshis.

Shafiqul further said Law Adviser Asif Nazrul will look after the financial and administrative works of the Parliament Speaker as the post is vacant now.

About whether the ongoing protests, by garment workers and people from other sectors, were part of a conspiracy against the government, he said, "We don't see these as conspiracies."

"Professionals, workers and various other groups couldn't dare to wage movements for their demands during the previous government's rule."

Meanwhile, the government has also decided to ensure that the Bangladesh women's football team, who just came back after winning the 2024 edition of the SAFF Women's Championship, are paid their arrears.