Road Blockade by Seven College Students Sparks Public Anger and Gridlock

Students from seven government-affiliated colleges blocked several major intersections in the capital on Thursday, causing severe traffic disruption and widespread public suffering.

The students enforced the blockade at Science Lab, Technical Morh, and Tantibazar intersections around 12:45 pm, demanding the issuance of the proposed Dhaka Central University ordinance. As a result, vehicular movement came to a complete halt in the affected areas, leaving thousands of commuters stranded.

Many commuters expressed frustration over the protest, saying it caused unnecessary hardship for ordinary people. A motorcyclist stuck in traffic said that while students have the right to protest for their demands, blocking main roads and refusing to allow alternative routes was unjustified. He questioned whether such actions reflected the humanitarian values expected of students, adding that people were trying to reach offices, hospitals, and attend to urgent matters.

He further said that disrupting the lives of so many people would only weaken the moral ground of the movement, stressing that a future built on denying others their basic rights could not succeed.

A ride-sharing driver who was also affected by the blockade said protests should be held in front of relevant government offices, such as the Ministry of Education, rather than on public roads. He questioned why ordinary citizens were being made to suffer for demands that were not theirs.

He added that repeated road blockades were making it increasingly difficult for working people to earn a living, warning that such practices were becoming routine whenever any group raised a demand. He expressed concern that the country was moving toward a culture where public roads were routinely shut down, placing the burden of protests on the general population.

The blockade continued into the afternoon, with no immediate resolution reported at the time of filing this report.