Shawdesh Desk:

Several hundred students from seven colleges affiliated to Dhaka University on Tuesday blocked the Science Laboratory crossing in Dhaka demanding separate autonomous university for them.

The students blocked the crossing at around 12:00pm causing huge traffic congestion in a larger part of the capital, including Shahbagh, Elephant Road, Hatirpool, Banglamotor, Kalabagan, Green Road and Dhanmondi.

Government Shaheed Suhrawardy College social work department student Ridoy Hossain said that students of the seven affiliated colleges were demanding a separate autonomous university for a long time.

‘We have not seen any effective steps from the authorities to meet the demand,’ claimed Ridoy, saying it was a cause behind blocking the crossing.

Education ministry on October 24 formed a 13-member committee to solve the academic and administrative problems of seven colleges following the recent protests of the students.

Dhaka College English department student Afzalul Hasan Rakib said that students of the seven colleges—Dhaka College, Begum Badrunnesa Government Girls’ College, Eden Mohila College, Government Bangla College, Government Shaheed Suhrawardy College, Government Titumir College, and Kabi Nazrul Government College—rejected the committee.

‘We demand a commission incorporating student-friendly teachers and student representatives that will work to form a separate autonomous university,’ said Rakib

Earlier, on October 21, students of the seven colleges blocked Nilkhet and Science Laboratory crossings for about four hours placing a three-point demand charter, including establishing a separate autonomous university for them.