A temporary special court was set up on the grounds of Dhaka's Alia Madrasa to conduct trials for the 2009 Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) mutiny. In response, students of the madrasa and local residents have protested by blocking roads in the Bakshibazar area, voicing their opposition to the use of the madrasa field for the court.
Witnesses and police said the protest began on Wednesday night and continued into Thursday morning, with demonstrators burning tyres and obstructing traffic, reports UNB.
The students voiced strong opposition to this arrangement, which led to the blockade.
The demonstration disrupted vehicular movement on the road in front of the court and its surrounding areas, leading to severe congestion.
The protesters blocked access to the streets near the Dhaka Education Board and Bakshibazar intersection with bamboo barricades, halting traffic flow from Bakshibazar to Chawkbazar.
Shafiullah, a student participating in the protest, said, "The city corporation had occupied this field for a long time. After the July revolution, this field must remain ours. If our demands are not met, we will escalate our movement."
Speaking about the situation, Rezaul Hossain, officer-in-charge of Chawkbazar Police Station, said, "Students and locals are preventing police from entering the madrasa field...we are on the ground, working to calm the situation."
The 2009 BDR mutiny was a tragic event that claimed the lives of 74 people, including 57 military officers at the Pilkhana headquarters of the paramilitary force. The mutiny, which shook the nation and garnered international attention, remains a critical chapter in Bangladesh’s history.
As of now, negotiations to resolve the stand-off are going on.
Bd-pratidin English/ Afia
