Students of Rabindra University on Thursday (Aug 14) blocked the Jamuna Bridge West Highway, cutting off road communication between Dhaka and the northern region, as part of their ongoing protest demanding swift approval and implementation of the Development Project Proposal (DPP) for the university’s permanent campus.
The blockade began around 12:00 noon near the Jamuna Bridge West roundabout, where demonstrators occupied both Dhaka-bound and northbound lanes.
Hundreds of vehicles were stranded, leaving thousands of passengers stuck in prolonged traffic congestion.
Protesting student Zakaria Jihad said the initial plan was to block both rail and road routes.
He also said, “But as the railway was already disrupted in Ullapara yesterday, causing schedule chaos, we decided to spare the rail line to avoid further public suffering.
However, the road blockade between Dhaka and the north remains in force,” he told reporters.
Jamuna Bridge West Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Asaduzzaman confirmed that students began sitting on the highway around 11:50 a.m., bringing traffic to a complete standstill in both directions.
Students, along with faculty, officers, and staff, have long been demanding approval of the DPP for the permanent campus — a demand that remains unmet even after nine years since the university’s establishment.
In January this year, protesters paralysed the highway for nearly two weeks, from January 19 to 30, before suspending the movement after receiving government assurances.
However, with no approval granted in the six months since, the movement resumed on July 26, beginning with a boycott of the Rabindra University Day celebrations.
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