Sharifa Begum Shiuli:
The students of Rangpur protested by blocking the Rangpur-Dhaka highway demanding the appointment of an adviser to the interim government from the northern region. Hundreds of vehicle passengers suffered as the highway was blocked for an hour on Wednesday for the third day.
If the demand is not met, the agitators have threatened to announce a program to shut down the Rangpur division along with blocking the railways and roads to cut off the communication of 16 northern districts with Dhaka.
Today (Wednesday, November 13) at around 2 o’clock, the protestors announced this by blocking the road at the Mordan intersection of the Dhaka-Rangpur highway. Earlier, around 11:30 am, students from various educational institutions of Rangpur gathered in front of Lalbagh. From there they marched through Begum Rokeya University (Berobi) to Modern Junction.
Protesters blocked the highway under the banner of students on Tuesday afternoon on the same demand. By blocking the road for two days, the agitators raised three-point demands, including the appointment of advisers from the northern region.
The demands are that at least two and four advisers should be appointed from each of the two departments of North Bengal for the formulation of a balanced development inclusive policy, there should be no regional discrimination in the appointment of bureaucrats and officers in various institutions of the government, along with each adviser should make public the progress of the program weekly, the controversial and July Revolution No such adviser can be retained in the interim government. Anti-discrimination student leaders of North Bengal should be consulted in formulating policies.
Ashfaq Ahmed, coordinator of anti-discrimination student movement in Rangpur, said that although 13 advisers of the interim government were from Chittagong division, not a single one was taken from the 16 districts of the northern region. It is discriminating with Rangpur and Rajshahi divisions. Regional disparity will increase if the interim government continues like this. So we want advisors to be taken from the northern region including Rangpur as soon as possible.
Imran Ahmed, one of the coordinators of the anti-discrimination student movement Rangpur, said that Rangpur was the source of the mass uprising of ’24’. In exchange for the blood of Rangpur’s heroic son Abu Saeed, the July uprising began from this Rangpur soil. On August 10, the chief adviser of the interim government. Muhammad Yunus came to Rangpur and promised that Rangpur will be the best district in the country. But there is not a single advisor in the government to speak for the people of Rangpur region. Rangpur, the birthplace of Abu Saeed, is being neglected. The assurance of appointment of advisers from the northern region and if the advisers are not appointed, a strict movement will be formed.’
By blocking the highway, the agitators demanded that Dhaka University Student Union (DACSU) former social service secretary and National Citizen Committee member secretary Akhtar Hossain be advised by several qualified people from the northern region. At that time they said, “Stop discrimination” and gave various slogans including wanting to see Akhtar Hossain as an advisor. The protestors ended the program after staying there for an hour.
Abu Saeed, a student of Begum Rokeya University, was shot dead by the police during the anti-discrimination movement. Instantly, the students’ movement turned into a mass movement. The Awami League government fell on August 5 in a mass uprising by the students
