-No blockade today
-Ultimatum to withdraw case
A 24-hour ultimatum has been given to convene an emergency session of the National Assembly to resolve the quota logically and to withdraw the case against the students.
Nahid Islam, coordinator of pro-quota reform students and a student of Dhaka University, who gave this information at the press briefing organized after the program of handing over the memorandum to President Mohammad Sahabuddin at Bangabhaban yesterday.
Nahid Islam said, we will wait for the next 24 hours. If our demands are not met, the movement will become more difficult. An effective action has to be taken within 24 hours and that is in view of our demand. Our 1 point demand will remain.
Regarding the case filed against the students, he said, anonymous cases are being filed against us. Earlier we gave the police 24 hours; I am giving another 24 hours. If the case is not withdrawn our program will be tougher. Police officers should take responsibility for this.
Another coordinator, Sharzis Alam, said, "We have told the President's military secretary to retain the 5 percent quota for minorities and the disabled and cancel the remaining quota." We hope the President will take this into consideration and decide.
After the briefing, around 3:30 pm, the protestors returned to their respective destinations from Gulistan junction. However, the traffic was still not normal in that area. Hundreds of vehicles were stuck on various roads adjacent to Baitul Mukarram National Mosque.
Earlier, a delegation of students submitted a memorandum to the President's military secretary around 3 pm yesterday. There in the delegation were - Arif Sohail, Sarzis Alam, Nahid Islam, Abdul Hannan Masud, Asif Mahmud, Rashidul Islam Rifat, Abdul Quader, Md Mahin Sarkar, Ashiq, Hasib Al-Islam, Sumaiya Jahan, and Mehrun Nesa.
Earlier, the agitating students started gathering in small groups in front of the central library of Dhaka University before 11 o'clock. Later at 12 noon, they started the march from in front of the Central Library. Students from all educational institutions of Dhaka joined it.
As the procession proceeded towards Bangabhaban around 1 pm, the police barricaded them in front of Shiksha Bhavan. Later the students broke the police barricade and proceeded. After that, the students started chanting 'Bhua Bhua' when they crossed the Shiksha Bhawan area with the procession and reached the secretariat.
Later the secretariat gate was closed. Then the police stopped them at zero point. There too they broke the barricade and proceeded towards Bangabhaban. Later, the police stopped them at Gulistan junction. When the red signal had been given to them, they sat there and started logans. At this time, 12 coordinators of the anti-quota movement team went to Bangabhaban to hand over the memorandum to the President.
ZH
