Quota protest: Patients suffer, unable to reach hospitals due to blockade
A student blockade at the Science Lab intersection in the capital this morning caused severe suffering for patients and people on their way to various hospitals in Green Road and Dhanmondi areas.
Hundreds of people were forced to walk to their destinations due to the blockade.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Mehedi Hasan was caught in the blockade while riding his motorbike from Old Dhaka to Labaid Hospital in Dhanmondi with his mother Rina Begum.
"My mother and I were heading to the hospital for her chemotherapy." Mehedi told The Daily Star, "No one let us through even though I showed the students the medical papers.
"I don't have any problem with the students' protest. However, how long will the people suffer?" he asked.
Before Mehedi could enter the Science Lab area, the students stopped his motorbike three times.
This newspaper spoke with twelve other hospital-bound patients who had similar experiences.
"After showing the students my medical papers, they allowed my rickshaw to pass, but I had to wait for 2-3 minutes," said Jalal Uddin, a patient going to Popular Hospital.
"Who is going to hear about our pain?" he added.
Motorcycle rider Delwar Hossain said, "The students ran in front of my bike after I crossed the barricade. My wife is waiting for me at Labaid Hospital. They stopped me and wouldn't let me go, even after I explained the emergency."
Ambulance driver Mamunur Rashid said while students allowed him to go to the hospital, it's not fair to block the road.
Our correspondent at the spot reported that students were stopping cars, checking emergency paperwork, and forbidding anyone from using the road.
Students of different public universities and colleges and jobseekers have been demonstrating for the last seven days demanding reinstatement of a 2018 circular that abolished the quota system in government jobs.
The Supreme Court on June 4 upheld a High Court verdict that declared the government circular illegal.
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