Students from seven colleges affiliated with Dhaka University yesterday threatened to take to the streets again from Wednesday if their three-point demand is not met within 24 hours.

Abdur Rahman, one of the movement's coordinators, issued the warning on behalf of the students at the Science Lab intersection around 4:45pm, shortly before the end of their protest programme.

Earlier, with a three-point demand, including the formation of a reform committee to establish an autonomous public university consisting of the seven colleges, several hundred students marched towards Science Lab from the Dhaka College area around 11:30am.

They later blocked roads in the New Market and Science Lab areas, bringing traffic to a standstill in the adjacent areas, causing immense suffering to hundreds of people.

Due to severe gridlocks, people were forced to get off public transport and walk to their destinations.

By 4:45pm, the situation got normal at the Nilkhet and Science Lab intersections when Abdur Rahman, the coordinator, announced the next steps of their programme to press for their demands.

Their other demands include preparing a draft plan for establishing a separate university in consultation with teachers, students, and stakeholders of the colleges within 30 working days, working in coordination with Dhaka University administration to maintain the current structure, and ensuring that no session jams take place.

Students of seven colleges affiliated with Dhaka University demonstrate blocking the capital’s Science Lab intersection yesterday demanding scrapping of DU affiliation and merger of their colleges into a new independent public university. The demo led to severe traffic congestion in and around the Science Lab area. Photo: Star

The seven colleges are 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.

Students from these colleges said they no longer want to be affiliated with Dhaka University and want a separate autonomous university.

In 2017, under the directive of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the seven government colleges were affiliated with Dhaka University.

However, students claimed the goals and objectives for which these colleges were affiliated have not been achieved. As a result, they no longer wish to remain affiliated with Dhaka University.

To meet their demands, they submitted memoranda to the education advisor, the chairman of the University Grants Commission, and the vice-chancellor of Dhaka University.

They said they took to the streets after not receiving any response from the authorities concerned within the expected time frame.

Md Jewel Rana, additional deputy commissioner of the Ramna zone, said the police have made efforts to ensure order.

"We have requested them to avoid causing inconvenience to the public and to ensure that others do not take advantage of the situation," he told the media.