Students of Dhaka College blocked the Science Lab area of the capital to demand amendments to the proposed Dhaka Central University Act, 2025 and protest a clash between teachers and students at the college.
The blockade began around 11:30am.
After nearly an hour, students lifted the blockade and returned to the campus following a request from the principal. The protest caused severe traffic congestion in surrounding areas, including Azimpur, Nilkhet, Shahbagh, Dhanmondi, Kolabagan, and Mohammadpur.
During the protest, Dhaka College Principal Professor AKM Elius and Vice-Principal Professor Parvin Sultana Haider visited the site, spoke with students, and urged them to end the blockade. The students complied and returned to the campus.
Students alleged that the current provisions of the proposed Dhaka Central University Act–2025 could lead to the abolition of Dhaka College’s intermediate section, threatening the institution’s century-old heritage.
Rakib Hossain, a second-year student, said: “The intermediate section of Dhaka College is not just an educational step; it is part of our history. Removing it would destroy the college’s heritage.”
Another student added: “We do not want future generations to be deprived of the opportunity to study intermediate at this college. The century-old tradition must be preserved. It can become a university, but not at the cost of erasing our heritage.”
Students also said that under the proposed Dhaka Central University plan, the number of seats would not accommodate all honours students from seven colleges. Conducting college in the morning and university in the afternoon, they argued, would gradually diminish their presence and make it easier to reduce their numbers.
Earlier, on October 5, after the draft ordinance for Dhaka Central University was published, students from seven colleges raised objections. They opposed running college in the morning and university in the afternoon, expressing uncertainty over the future of higher secondary education and college autonomy.
Dhaka College students held a press conference to voice their concerns, and students from Begum Badrunnesa Women’s College also protested the ordinance.
On Monday, during the start of a student march demanding the rapid implementation of the Dhaka Central University Act, 2025 at Dhaka College, a scuffle broke out between teachers and students.
Later, a student was allegedly held in a common room by teachers over “broker” remarks, prompting other students to surround the administration building and secure his release.
