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17/04/2025 09:34 • il y a 2 mois

Blockades and demonstrations by students nationwide on 17 April and air pollution in Dhaka - Disruptions to be expected, vigilance required

Manifestation Sanitaire

Hundreds of students under the banner of the Karigori Chhatra Andolon Bangladesh (Bangladesh Technical Students Movement), from both public and private polytechnics, are carrying out road and rail blockades across the country this 17 April, as well as demonstrations, particularly in Dhaka, according to local media.

This protest movement is aimed at putting forward their six-point demands, including recognition of their diplomas as equivalent to undergraduate degrees and modernisation of the system. An announcement about the blockade programme was made on the evening of 16 April at a rally in Dhaka.

In the capital, traffic disruptions were reported in the Satrasta district, as well as in Tejgaon. Heavy crowds were seen at the Mirpur 10 roundabout around noon, and at the Mohammadpur bus station, blocking traffic in these areas.

Similar protests took place in Sylhet, Rangpur, Bogura and Patuakhali. In Chattogram, students blocked both roads and railways, causing traffic jams and disruptions. In Khulna, students stopped a Rupsha Express train near the Boyra junction shortly after it departed, causing delays to other trains such as the Chitra Express, Rocket and Mahananda Express bound for Dhaka. In Cumilla, the Dhaka - Chattogram motorway was blocked in the Kotbari Bishwaroad area. In Rajshahi, a procession blocked railways and roads in the Bhadra Mor area. In Munshiganj, a demonstration towards the Muktarpur China-Bangladesh Friendship Bridge disrupted the Muktarpur - Panchabati route.

Continued disruptions related to the protest movement, as well as security reinforcements are expected. In particular, access to Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (DAC) could be disrupted.

In addition, the air quality index recorded in Dhaka today, 183, has been classified as "unhealthy", signifying a serious threat to health, and placing the capital in first place among cities with the worst air quality. In Bangladesh, the air quality index is based on 5 pollutants, fine particles, NO2, CO, SO2 and ozone.

It is advisable to keep informed of developments in the situation and recommendations from the authorities, as well as taking preventive measures such as limiting exposure, favouring moderate activities and wearing a mask.