The students of Jagannath University (JnU) have been staging a continuous 30-hour road blockade at the Kakrail Mosque intersection, demanding four point charter of demands.
The students began occupying the road from 1:00 PM on Wednesday and continued the blockade on Thursday.
Until 6:00 PM on Thursday, the road from Kakrail Mosque toward Jamuna remained blocked by the protesting students. Teachers and students of the university stated that they would not vacate the road until their demands were met.
Due to blockade, all traffic has been suspended from Matsya Bhaban to Kakrail intersection and on Mintu Road. Vehicles that usually use this road are being diverted, causing heavy traffic congestion on adjacent areas including Matsya Bhaban, Shahbagh, Paltan, Gulistan, and Kakrail.
Intermittent rain has worsened the traffic conditions in these areas, causing further distress to the public. However, protestors at Kakrail have arranged for emergency vehicles and ambulances to pass through quickly, with dedicated volunteer teams managing this effort.
A woman, Jesmin Ara, stuck in traffic, said, “I’ve been sitting at Kakrail intersection for almost two hours. The vehicle hasn't moved. I need to get to the hospital. My brother is admitted there.”
Another commuter, a student, Jannatul Nayeem, said, “My friend had an accident and has been admitted to Dhaka Medical. I need to get there urgently. After being stuck in the same spot for two hours, I’ve started walking.”
Meanwhile, the General Secretary of the Jagannath University Teachers' Association, Professor Dr Rois Uddin, declared a university shutdown until the demands were met.
He said, “Jagannath University will remain shut until our demands are fulfilled. We will not return to campus.”
