Munshiganj (South) Correspondent

Polytechnic Institute students blocked the Mukterpur Bridge—one of the main entry points to Munshiganj—demanding fulfillment of six specific demands.

The blockade began around 12 PM on Wednesday at the southern end of the bridge. As a result, severe traffic congestion developed on the busy Dhaka-Munshiganj road, causing great inconvenience for commuters.

It has been reported that around 11:45 AM, hundreds of students gathered at the southern end of the Mukterpur Bridge. Eventually, they sat down at the base of the bridge, halting traffic in both directions and causing a significant traffic jam. The blockade continued until about 3:45 PM when heavy rain and storms led the students to disperse and end their protest.

The students' six-point charter includes the following demands:Promotion Issues: Cancel the 30% promotion quota for Craft Instructors to the Junior Instructor post. Annul the High Court ruling that allegedly granted illegal promotions to Craft Instructors. Change the job title of Craft Instructors and terminate those involved in the controversial promotions. Completely cancel the secretive 2021 nighttime recruitment of Craft Instructors and immediately revise the controversial recruitment policy. Academic Reforms: Cancel the option to enroll in Diploma in Engineering courses at any age. Introduce a quality four-year curriculum modeled after developed countries. Gradually shift all academic activities to English medium. Job Placement Integrity: Take legal action against government, state-owned, autonomous, and semi-autonomous institutions that appoint diploma engineers to lower positions, despite having reserved slots for Assistant Engineers or equivalent (10th grade). Administrative appointments: Ban the appointment of non-technical personnel to key technical education posts such as Director, Assistant Director, Board Chairman, Deputy Secretary, Controller of Exams, and Principal. Ensure by law that only technically educated individuals are appointed to these posts.Immediately recruit qualified teachers and lab assistants for all vacant posts. Institutional Development: Establish an independent "Ministry of Technical and Higher Education." Form a "Technical Education Reform Commission."Higher Education Opportunities: Establish a high-quality technical university for graduates of Polytechnic and Monotechnic Institutes. Ensure full enrollment opportunities for polytechnic and monotechnic graduates at the under-construction engineering colleges in Narail, Natore, Khagrachhari, and Thakurgaon. Until completion, these institutions should offer temporary campuses and academic activities under DUET starting from the next session.