Demonstrating students have vacated the key Shahbagh intersection in Dhaka after a blockading protest lasting nearly one and a half hours, bringing a temporary halt to the day’s demonstrations. However, the protesters have issued a strict ultimatum, demanding the immediate resignation of the Education Minister, A. N. M. Ehsanul Hoque Milan, by 10:00 pm tonight.
The blockade, which began at 6:00 pm on Wednesday, caused severe traffic congestion across central Dhaka before the students agreed to clear the road at around 7:30 pm.
Escalating Protests and Alternative Actions
Speaking on behalf of the demonstrators, Rahat Ahmed, a student from Dhanmondi Ideal College, addressed reporters to explain the decision to suspend the blockade. He noted that the students were highly conscious of the immense suffering and public inconvenience caused by the peak-hour traffic gridlock at one of the capital’s busiest junctions.
Despite clearing the intersection, the students remain resolute in their single-point demand. They insist that the Education Minister must step down. Should the minister fail to resign by the designated 10:00 pm deadline tonight, the students have threatened to launch a “Long March to the Secretariat” starting from the Science Laboratory intersection at 10:00 am on Thursday.
Chronology of the Day’s Demonstrations
The protest began earlier in the afternoon as part of a pre-scheduled programme. At approximately 2:30 pm, a large group of students gathered and blocked the Science Laboratory intersection, bringing traffic in that sector to a standstill.
After holding their position at Science Lab for a brief period, the students initiated their “Long March to the Ministry of Education,” heading directly towards the Secretariat. By 4:00 pm, the procession reached the High Court area near the Shikhsha Bhaban (Education Building), where they were stopped by heavy police barricades.
Prevented from advancing further, the demonstrators staged a sit-in at the barricades for ninety minutes, chanting slogans demanding the minister’s resignation. At 5:30 pm, the crowd marched towards the Shahbagh intersection to establish their final blockade of the day.
The government has deployed additional law enforcement personnel across key points in the capital, particularly around the Secretariat and the Ministry of Education, to prevent any further escalation. With the 10:00 pm deadline fast approaching, commuters and residents remain on high alert ahead of the planned march on Thursday morning.
