Staff Correspondent

In response to the High Court's decision to reinstate the quota system in government jobs for children’s of freedom fighters, students from several public universities and colleges blocked the capital’s Shahbagh intersection for an hour on Tuesday.

Students from the University of Dhaka led the blockade at Shahbagh, while Jahangirnagar University students blocked the Dhaka-Aricha Highway at 4pm and Barishal University students blocked the Dhaka-Barisal Highway for an hour from 11.30am.

The protests would continue for two more days, one of the organisers said adding the University of Dhaka students would begin their Wednesday demonstrations at 2.45pm in front of the university’s Central Library.

Nahid Islam of the "Boishommo Birodhi Chattrra Andolon" called on students from all other major higher education institutions across the country to continue demonstrations. Notably, protests have also been called at Rajshahi University, Jahangirnagar University, Islamic University in Kushtia, Barishal University and other institutions.

Earlier in the day, around 2:45 pm, students from Dhaka University staged a protest rally in front of the university's Central Library. The group marched to the Raju Sculpture on the campus before proceeding to Shahbagh to join other demonstrators.

However, police personnel were already present on the spot in large number and with riot gears. The students started hurling expletives at the policemen calling them “fraud.” After a short while, the police moved away.

Then, the students imposed a blockade on the Shahbagh intersection for an hour from 3.45pm to 4.45pm.

Thousands of students from Dhaka University, Jagannath University, Dhaka College, Eden College, and other nearby institutions participated in the protest. They shouted slogans against the quota system, demanding its cancellation in government job recruitment.