The anti-discrimination student movement leaders on July 9 last year declared a daylong blockade programme scheduled for July 10 to press home their one-point demand of reforming the quota in government jobs bringing down it up to five percent for backward section people, reports BSS.
Nahid Islam, a key coordinator of the anti-discrimination student movement, announced the programme at a press conference in front of Dhaka University (DU) Central Library around 6.30 pm.
"The blockade will start at 10 am and it will continue until sunset on Wednesday (July 10). Both roads and railways will come under the 'Bangla Blockade' programme," he told journalists.
Students from across the country were urged to join the "Bangla Blockade" programme on the following day.
Nahid, now National Citizen Party (NCP) chief, said the central demonstration would take place at Dhaka University and Shahbagh.
Before announcing the new programme, the student protesters observed strikes in educational institutions across the country, boycotting classes and exams on July 9, and carried out online and offline mass outreach campaigns.
Earlier, on July 8, Nahid said they would carry out online and offline mass outreach campaigns on July 9 while they would resume their nationwide 'Bangla Blockade' on July 10 with stiff programmes.
But the students of different universities and colleges continued the blockade across the country on July 9 too.
On the day, students of Jahangirnagar University blocked the Dhaka-Aricha highway near the main gate at around 3:45 pm for half an hour as part of their demonstration.
Students of the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) formed a human chain at the university's Shaheed Minar to press home their demands.
Chattogram University (CU) students conducted a public outreach campaign. At 10:30 am on July 9, 2024, they staged a sit-in at the Shaheed Minar on the campus and later visited female dormitories to engage more female students in the movement.
In Chattogram, CU students blocked the rail tracks at the Sholoshohor railway station at around 3:45 pm.
Students of Rajshahi College staged a sit-in by blocking the road in front of the college gate at noon while Rajshahi University students held a sit-in programme on Paris Road from 3:30 pm to 4 pm.
Barisal University students brought out a protest march at 2:30 pm and later held a rally in front of the academic building. After the rally, they moved to the main gate and blocked the Barisal-Kuakata highway.
In Habiganj, students under the banner of "general students" brought out a protest march and formed a human chain in the afternoon. The march ended at the Brindaban Government College after parading different streets in the town.
Meanwhile, on July 9, two Dhaka University students filed a leave to appeal petition with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court challenging the High Court order issued on June 5 that effectively reinstated quotas in government jobs.
However, the protesters under the banner of the anti-discrimination student movement clarified that those who filed the appeal were not representing the movement.
That day, the then Law Minister Anisul Huq commented, "The quota system is now a matter of the apex court, not a policy issue of the government. Street protests would find no result."
Besides, Awami League (AL) General Secretary Obaidul Quader instructed his party leaders and activists across the country to remain vigilant regarding the student protests.
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