The students of Titumir are protesting on the railway tracks.

 

The students of Titumir are protesting on the railway tracks.

Image: Collected

Students of Government Titumir College in the capital have blocked the Mohakhali Railgate, staging a sit-in on the railway tracks to demand recognition of the college as a university.

On Monday (February 3) at around 3:30 PM, they occupied the area, disrupting train and vehicular movement on the route.

Earlier, following their pre-announced program, students had blocked the road in front of the college at Mohakhali Amtoli from 11:00 AM. As the gathering grew larger, they later moved to Mohakhali Railgate.

The students of Government Titumir College are observing a continuous barricade program today (February 3) from 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM. On Sunday night, at a press conference in front of the college’s main gate, Titumir Oikko’s advisor, Mahmudul Hasan Mukhtar, announced this program. He stated that despite their prolonged movement, they believe the state is acting unfairly toward them.

Mahmudul Hasan Mukhtar said, "We had already announced today's program yesterday. However, due to the Bishwa Ijtema, we temporarily relaxed our movement. But from now on, our program will continue without any relaxation."

The students presented their three-point demands:

1. The state must recognize Titumir College as a university and publish an academic calendar.

2. The Education Advisor’s statement must be withdrawn immediately, and international-standard education must be ensured at Titumir University and all other higher education institutions.

3. A fair investigation must be conducted into the alleged pressure by the Legal Advisor on the Ministry of Education regarding the formation of the Titumir University Commission, and the Legal Advisor must publicly apologize.

Meanwhile, a group of Titumir College students has been on a hunger strike for the past five days, demanding the college's transformation into a university. They are also calling for the introduction of new Mass Communication and Law departments and the commencement of Honors programs from the 2024-25 academic year.

This student movement has added a new dimension to the nationwide discussion on the education system, raising questions about government policies and university recognition.