Today’s Blockade: Three Key Locations in Dhaka

Today, Wednesday, students from the Seven Colleges University Transformation Movement have announced a series of demonstrations across three key locations in Dhaka, calling for urgent governmental action on the establishment of the proposed Dhaka Central University. The protests are scheduled to begin at 11:00 a.m. at Science Lab, Technical, and Tantibazar crossings.

The movement issued a press release yesterday, confirming the one-point demand that forms the basis of the protest: the approval of the draft amendment to the Dhaka Central University Ordinance by the Advisory Council meeting on 15 January, followed by the issuance of the final presidential ordinance. The press release further stated that if the demand is not met by the specified date, students will continue their demonstration activities.

The draft of the “Dhaka Central University Act 2025,” prepared through collaboration among the seven colleges, was published on the Ministry of Education’s Secondary and Higher Education Division website on 24 September 2025. Its release immediately sparked intense debate among various stakeholders. In response, the Ministry organised a series of consultation meetings with all stakeholders to gather input and feedback. Following these discussions, the draft was revised and updated in accordance with the recommendations received.

In late December, from 7 to 8 December, protesting students staged continuous sit-in demonstrations outside the Ministry of Education. During these events, Ministry officials met with students, assuring them that all associated administrative steps would be completed by the end of December and that the final ordinance would be issued in early January.

According to the press release, the students have learned that the Advisory Council of the interim government is scheduled to hold a meeting on 15 January. They are demanding that during this session, the Dhaka Central University Act 2025 be officially approved and that the final presidential ordinance be issued without delay.

Protest Schedule and Locations:

The movement emphasises that the protests are peaceful and remain strictly focused on ensuring that the government honours its prior commitments to students. Observers note that the approval of Dhaka Central University is seen as a landmark step in higher education reform in Bangladesh, with far-reaching implications for the academic landscape of the capital.