Job seekers block Dhaka-Rajshahi highway

Thousands of job seekers blocked the Dhaka-Rajshahi highway following the postponement of a recruitment test for Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank (RAKUB) today.

They blockaded the highway around 3:00pm creating a huge tailback on the highway, reports our Rajshahi correspondent.

The job seekers continued the blockade till this report was filed at 6:00pm.

Around 24,000 aspirants applied for 108 grade-II posts.

The test was supposed to be conducted in two shifts -- the morning (10:30am to 11:30am) and the afternoon (3:30pm to 4:30pm), said Zinnat Ara Begum, chairperson of Rajshahi University’s management studies department which is responsible for conducting the recruitment tests.

Soon after the morning shift test ended, the authorities, around 2:30pm declared not to take the afternoon shift test, Zinnat said.

The one-hour afternoon shift test was declared postponed for indefinite period due to “unavoidable reason”, she said.

At this, job seekers locked into an altercation with the management authorities and later took to the streets.

Humayun Kabir, officer-in-charge of Motihar Police Station said they were trying to control the situation.