TDS Desk:

Commuters in Dhaka are yet to face another day of severe traffic disruption as students from seven colleges under Dhaka University have taken to the streets at Science Lab intersection, demanding the immediate issuance of an ordinance to establish “Dhaka Central University.”

Students from the colleges, under a singular banner, earlier said they would resume their blockade at key intersections, including Science Laboratory, Technical, and Tantibazar on Thursday (15 January).

Photo: Collected

Jisanul Haque, additional deputy commissioner of Dhanmondi zone, told journalists, “Students from several colleges, including Dhaka College, Eden College and some others besieged the intersection, which led to severe congestion at Dhanmondi, New Market area ”

Vehicular movement has been disrupted at Science Lab intersection since 12:30pm, he added.

Meanwhile, Ariful Islam Rony, assistant commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Darus Salam traffic zone told journalists that a group of students from Mirpur Bangla College blocked the Technical intersection for the last one hour. “Vehicular movement has been partially halted in the area since 1:45pm.”

The protesters have vowed to continue their sit-in until the interim government’s Advisory Council, which is reportedly scheduled to meet today, approves the draft of the Dhaka Central University Act 2025.

They said yesterday (14 January) that they had learned from ”a source” that a meeting of the Advisory Council would be held.

According to protesters, the education ministry had previously assured them that all formalities would be completed by December last year, but no ordinance has yet been issued regarding the Dhaka Central University.

The blockade, which is scheduled to begin at around 1pm, may result in massive tailbacks across the city.

Vehicular movement in Puran Dhaka, Mirpur, Gabtali, and the Science Lab-Dhanmondi areas were severely affected during yesterday’s sit-ins. Office workers and students heading to various examination centers were among those hardest-hit by the gridlock.

“We have no choice but to take to the streets. The ministry gave us a timeline in December, but we are still waiting,” said Shahriar Rabbi, a protester.

Yesterday, the students had blocked the busy Farmgate intersection as well as the abovementioned points for several hours before suspending their programme at 4pm to avoid further public suffering.

However, they had warned of today’s sit-ins.