Students of Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur (BRUR), blocked the Rangpur-Dhaka highway on Monday, demanding the appointment of a vice-chancellor (VC). The protest began at the modern junction, the main entry point to Rangpur city. The students marched from the campus at around 11:45 am, carrying placards, and started their blockade around noon.
As a result, all traffic, including buses and trucks, came to a halt in eight districts, including Rangpur, Kurigram, and Lalmonirhat. The blockade caused a 10-kilometer traffic jam, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded on both sides of the highway. Passengers have been facing significant difficulties due to the standstill.
The students claimed that BRUR has been without a VC for over 1.5 months. They argued that other universities, like Dhaka University and Jagannath University, have received new VCs, but BRUR has been ignored. They are frustrated by the delay, saying it has affected their academic progress.
One of the protesters, Raihan Kabir, expressed his disappointment: "We have been protesting for a long time. Despite giving a 48-hour ultimatum earlier, no action has been taken."
The students also mentioned the tragic death of their fellow student, Abu Sayed, during earlier protests, calling him the first "martyr" in the fight against discrimination at the university.
As of 2 pm, hundreds of students were still occupying the highway. They declared that they would continue their protest, calling it a "North Bengal boycott," until their demand for a VC appointment is met. The blockade has caused major disruptions in transportation across northern Bangladesh.
