Students of different polytechnic institutes started their pre-announced grand rally on Sunday protesting recent attacks on their fellows and to realise their six-point demand.
In Dhaka, the protesters started the rally under 'Polytechnic Students Movement Bangladesh' in front of Dhaka Mohila Polytechnic Institute at Agargaon at 12noon.
Students were seen holding various placards with demands at the rally. The area was filled with different slogans chanting by the protesters, 'Ami K Tumi K Diploma Engineer', 'Teror Hatiar, Gorje Otho Arekber', Desh Gorer Hatiar, Diploma Engineer.
From the morning, the students from public and private polytechnic institutes gathered near Dhaka Mohila Polytechnic Institute for the rally.
On Friday, students marched wearing white burial shrouds (kafon), symbolising their deep frustration and anger.
The Students’ Six Demands:
1. Abolition of High Court verdict on
promotion of Craft Instructors to Junior Instructor posts, a change of
the Craft Instructor designation, and permanent dismissal of all
individuals involved in the disputed promotion case.
2. Immediate
cancellation of the 2021 controversial recruitment rules for Craft
Instructors, annulment of those recruitments following a fair
investigation, and action against the key instigators.
3.
Maintain the four-year duration of the Diploma in Engineering course and
update its syllabus and curriculum to align with modern global
standards.
4. Restrict application to the Sub-Assistant Engineer
(Grade 10) post to only those who have completed four-year Diploma in
Engineering or Monotechnology (Surveying). Also, ensure that these posts
are reserved and that graduates in this discipline in the private
sector are given a minimum basic salary of 16,000 BDT.
5.
Introduce reforms in the leadership of technical education, appointing
only technically educated personnel to key positions such as Director,
Deputy Director, and Principal within the technical education sector.
6.
Revise all controversial recruitment rules under the Directorate of
Technical Education and immediately publish recruitment circulars for
competent teachers and lab assistants in all vacant posts in polytechnic
and technical schools and colleges.
TF
