Bangladesh: Agricultural Diploma Students Protest for Educational Rights
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Synopsis
Agricultural diploma students in Bangladesh have launched the 'Agri Blockade' movement, demanding enhanced educational opportunities. The protest has caused significant disruptions, highlighting their concerns over discrimination in employment and education.
Key Takeaways
- Protests by agricultural diploma students in Dhaka.
- Students demand access to higher educational opportunities.
- Significant traffic disruptions due to the blockade.
- Concerns over employment discrimination highlighted.
- Students propose moving agricultural education oversight to the Ministry of Agriculture.
Dhaka, April 21 (NationPress) A new wave of protests has emerged in Bangladesh as students pursuing agricultural diplomas initiated the 'Agri Blockade' movement, conducting a sit-in demonstration that obstructed all entrances of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) at Khamarbari in Dhaka on Monday.
Under the banner of the 'Agricultural Diploma Student Rights Movement', these protestors are advocating for enhanced opportunities for higher education alongside eight other significant demands, according to local media.
In a prior gathering on Sunday, students from agricultural diploma programs nationwide rallied and staged a sit-in in front of the National Shaheed Minar in Dhaka, reiterating their demands.
The blockade prevented staff and officials from entering the facility, leading to them waiting outside upon their arrival at the office on Monday. This protest also caused considerable traffic delays in the area.
Law enforcement and military personnel have been deployed, maintaining a vigilant presence in the vicinity.
A student participating in the sit-in, Asaduzzaman Abir, stated that nearly 2,000 students are engaged in this movement, as reported by the prominent Bangladeshi publication, The Dhaka Tribune.
He highlighted, “In the nation, around 25,000 students are enrolled in a four-year diploma program across 18 government Agricultural Training Institutes and 260 private agricultural colleges. These students encounter discrimination regarding employment and advanced educational opportunities,” the student added.
The students have articulated several key demands, including the need for diploma agriculturists to have access to higher education at public agricultural universities. They also called for improvements in the availability of instructors to enhance the quality of agricultural diploma education.
Moreover, they suggested that agricultural diploma education be transferred from the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) to the Ministry of Agriculture entirely. Additional concerns were raised regarding job opportunities, salaries, and allowances.
In related news earlier this week, polytechnic institute students protested in various cities across the nation, obstructing major highways and railroads.
Continuing their demonstration on Sunday, these polytechnic students launched a grand rally in Dhaka against violence towards their peers while pressing their six-point demand, as reported in The Daily Star.
In recent months, Bangladesh has experienced a rise in student protests under the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus amidst a worsening law and order situation in the country.
