Polytechnic students across Bangladesh have issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the interim government to meet their six-point demand. If their demands are not fulfilled within this time, the students have warned of a ‘Long March to Dhaka’ as their next course of action.
The warning came from a mass rally held on Sunday afternoon in front of the Women’s Polytechnic Institute in Agargaon, Dhaka. Speaking at the rally, Technical Student Movement representative Nishan Rahman said, “If there is no solution to our six-point demand within 48 hours, we will call for a ‘Long March to Dhaka’. At that point, the situation will no longer be in our hands, and the government will be responsible for the consequences.”
Since morning, students from various public and private polytechnic institutes under the Bangladesh Technical Education Board gathered in front of the Dhaka Polytechnic Institute. Around 11 a.m., they began a protest march that concluded at the rally venue in Agargaon.
Simultaneous mass gatherings also took place in multiple districts across the country, as polytechnic students from both public and private institutions joined the protest. The goal was to draw national attention to the demands of the technical education community.
What are the six demands?
While the complete list of the six-point demand has not been officially published, discussions with protesting students revealed the following key points:
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Official recognition of the diploma in engineering in all public and private job sectors,
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Equal opportunities for diploma holders in competitive government job exams,
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Modernization of the curriculum under the Technical Education Board,
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Mandatory and quality industry internships,
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Adequate lab facilities and equipment in all polytechnic institutes,
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Ensuring sufficient number of trained teachers in technical institutions.
Voices from the rally
One student stated, “We complete our diplomas and still face neglect. Our degrees are not given the dignity they deserve. We will no longer remain silent.”
Another protester added, “The government focuses on general education, but technical education is always sidelined—even though we are vital to the country’s industrial and production sectors.”
Government and administrative response
To ensure a peaceful demonstration, law enforcement agencies were stationed around Agargaon and nearby areas. So far, no untoward incidents have been reported.
Although the government has yet to officially respond, student representatives have submitted memorandums to the Ministry of Education and the Bangladesh Technical Education Board, seeking prompt action.
What’s next?
Movement spokesperson Nishan Rahman emphasized, “We believe in peaceful protests. But if our demands are ignored, we will escalate our movement. The ‘Long March to Dhaka’ will take this movement nationwide.”
With the 48-hour countdown already underway, all eyes are now on the government’s next steps. Will the authorities address the students’ concerns swiftly—or will the streets of Dhaka soon witness another mass mobilization in the name of educational justice?