News Flash
DHAKA, July 7, 2025 (BSS) - After observing the nationwide 'Bangla Blockade' programme for the second consecutive day on July 8, the student leaders issued a three-day ultimatum to the government to fulfil their demands as they formed a 65-member coordination committee to intensify the movement.
Nahid Islam, a key-coordinator of the anti-discrimination student movement, issued the ultimatum on the night of July 8 after observing the blockade programme at the Shahbagh intersection in the city.
He, however, called for observing a strike in the educational institutions across the country, boycotting classes and exams on July 9.
Nahid, former adviser of the current interim government and now NCP chief, said they would carry out online and offline mass outreach campaigns on July 9 while they would resume their nationwide 'Bangla Blockade' programme on July 10 with stiff programmes.
Earlier on the day, the student protesters blocked key points, including Shahbagh, Hotel Intercontinental intersection, Banglamotor, Minto Road, Farmgate, Karwan Bazar, Katabon, Nilkhet, Science Lab, Chankharpul and Gulistan Zero Point, in the capital to press their one-point demand on quota reform bringing down the quota in government jobs up to five percent only for the backward section of people.
Simultaneously, job seekers and students from different universities and colleges across the country blocked highways and railways in their respective areas.
In the capital, around 4pm, on July 8, students brought out a procession under the banner of the anti-discrimination student movement from the Dhaka University Central Library. After parading different streets on the campus, a group of students blocked the Shahgagh intersection while another group blocked Karwan Bazar intersection.
Students from Tejgaon College and Government Titumir College blocked the road from Karwan Bazar to Farmgate. Mirpur Bangla College students shut down the city's entry point via Gabtoli.
In line with the pre-announced programme, students from Dhaka College and Eden Mohila College blockaded the Science Lab intersection around 4pm.
Besides, students of Jagannath University took positions in parts of Old Dhaka. Around 3:30pm, they marched through Banglabazar, Victoria Park and Ray Shaheb Bazar, eventually blocking Tanti Bazar intersection.
When they reached Banshal, police put up barricades, which the students broke to occupy the GPO intersection near the Secretariat. However, the traffic resumed at 7pm after the blockade was lifted.
Students of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University blocked the Agargaon intersection from 3:30pm to 8 pm.
At 3pm, Jahangirnagar University students blocked the Dhaka-Aricha highway, creating long tailbacks in both directions.
In Rajshahi, Rajshahi University students blocked the Dhaka-Rajshahi rail line after holding a human chain on Paris Road in the morning. Later, they staged a sit-in at Meherchandi near the railway track.
For the third consecutive day, students of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) in Mymensingh blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh railway line. From 1:30pm to 3:15pm, they obstructed the Jamalpur Express train at Jabbar Mor adjacent to the university.
In Sylhet, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) students continued to block the Sylhet-Sunamganj road. Besides, students of Chittagong University and Chittagong College blocked the Dhaka-Chittagong highway. Khulna University students obstructed the Dhaka-Satkhira highway, while Begum Rokeya University students blocked the Dhaka-Rangpur highway. Barishal University students blocked the Dhaka-Barishal highway from noon to 3pm.
Before starting the blockade programme in the capital on July 8, a delegation of an intelligence agency reportedly put pressure on the student coordinators to keep the protest limited inside the campuses as the programme of July 7 had apparently paralyzed the city.
"Our blockade programme was scheduled to start from 3pm on July 8. But the intelligence agency called us to a meeting at 2pm so that we could not join the programme or the programme couldn't be observed properly in absence of us," Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain, one of the key coordinators of the anti-discrimination student movement, wrote in his book titled 'July: Matribhumi Othoba Mrityu'.
Asif himself and coordinators Nahid Islam, Sarjis Alam, Hasnat Abdullah, and Abu Baker Mojumdar were called to the lounge adjacent to the Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor's office. The then Dhaka University Journalists' Association leader Al Sadi Bhuiyan was also present at the meeting.
He said the detectives were pushing them to go to the court, assuring that they will help nullify the HC order that declared the 2018 government circular abolishing quotas in first and second class government jobs.
Asif, however, wrote that realizing the motives of the detectives, he himself, Nahid Islam and Abu Baker left the meeting while Sarjis Alam and Hasnat Abdullah were told to come later after holding talks for some more minutes.
He said the detectives again held a meeting with them that night after the blockade programme on July 8 and reiterated their call to the student coordinators to go to the court.
". . . we told them that even if we go to court, our protest on the field will continue (until the demand is met)," Asif wrote.
