Defying the rain, several hundreds of students organised a protest march and road blockade as part of the anti-discrimination student movement at Hajiganj upazila in Chandpur district on Saturday.
The agitated students gathered on the west side of Hajiganj Bridge and blocked the Cumilla-Chandpur regional highway.
The march started from the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Chattar in West Bazar and paraded through the main roads of Hajiganj Bazar before settling on the road in East Bazar.
During the protest, students alleged that law enforcement and ruling party members attacked and shot at students and civilians involved in the quota reform movement. They also accused the police of arresting students and sending them to jail.
The students claimed that ruling party members attacked their peaceful demonstration in Hajiganj as well. They vowed to continue their movement until their demands were met.
To withdraw their blockade, Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Tapas Shil, Additional Superintendent of Police (Hajiganj Circle) Pankaj Kumar Dey, and Hajiganj Police Station officer-in-charge Muhammad Abdur Rashid had a discussions with the students.
At that time, the students requested police protection and cooperation for their peaceful march and road blockade. They pressed their nine-point demand of the anti-discrimination student movement and announced their intention to stay on the road for an hour.
Despite the heavy rain, the students remained on the road, filling the air with various slogans. After an hour, with the cooperation of the police and journalists, the students dispersed.
MHU/SA
