Admission seekers protesting against the decision to enrol students in medical and dental colleges without admission test on Tuesday gave the government an ultimatum
to cancel the new system by August 26.
The students said they would announce their next protest programmes on August 27 if their demand was not met by the August 26 deadline. They will also bring out a
procession from the Central Shaheed Minar on August 26.
They continued their protests for the second consecutive day in major cities and towns demanding restoration of the system of admission tests for enrolment in medical
and dental colleges.
The government on Sunday decided that students would be admitted to medical and dental colleges from this year on the basis of their results in SSC and HSC
examinations instead of admission tests.
Several hundred admission seekers wearing shrouds blocked roads, brought out processions, staged sit-in and formed human chains in Dhaka, Chittagong, Barisal,
Rajshahi, Sylhet, Rangpur and other districts towns to protest at the government decision.
They submitted memorandums to prime minister Sheikh Hasina through deputy commissioners in Chittagong and Rajshahi and to health minister AFM Ruhal Haque in Barisal
and Rangpur.
A memorandum was also handed over to the health minister in Dhaka demanding
restoration of the admission test system for enrolment in MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) and BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) courses.
Several hundred admission seekers under the banner of ‘Medical Bhartichchhu Shikkharthibrinda’ (admission seekers in medical colleges) blocked traffic in front of the
National Press Club and Shahbagh intersection for about six hours from midday.
The blockade triggered huge traffic congestions on the roads approaching Shahbagh causing terrible sufferings to homegoers and Eid shoppers. The barricade was lifted
at about 6:00pm.
Earlier, five representatives of admission seekers — Tanmay Sutradhar, Anannaya Kanika, Farzana Afrin, Nazmul Haque and Ishak Shahriar — handed over a memorandum to
the health minister demanding restoration of the admission test system.
The minister told reporters that since a writ petition was pending with the High Court, the government would take a further decision in line with the court order. He
alleged that coaching centres for medical admission were inciting the agitators.
Both Tanmay Sutradhar and Farzana Afrin refuted the allegations while talking with New Age. They said the health minister had told them that the ministry would take a
further decision in line with the court order.
Earlier, at about 9:00am several hundred students accompanied by their guardians staged a sit-in at the Central Shaheed Minar.
Agitating students also held a press conference at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity to explain their stance. Ishrak Shahriar in a written statement said the new system would not
be transparent; rather it would make room for corruption in the admission process.
Mehedi Hasan, an admission seeker, said the government should restore the test system and if the authorities wanted to change the system, the announcement should have
come at least a year ago.
Ashiqur Rahman, another student, said the government had cancelled the test system to rein in the business of the coaching centres but they had already had tuition at
such coaching centres in exchange for large sums.
Bangladesh Chhatra Union and Bangladesh Chhatra Maitree formed human chains and brought out processions in Dhaka in solidarity with the protesters.
New Age correspondents in Chittagong, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Barisal and Sylhet reported that protesters wearing shrouds had staged demonstrations, blocked roads and
staged sit- in and submitted memorandums to the local administrations demanding cancellation of the new admission system.
The admission process of MBBS and BDS is expected to start in September. Altogether there are 8,493 seats in all medical and dental colleges in Bangladesh. The number
is 2,811 in 22 government medical colleges while 4,245 in 53 private medical colleges.
Bangladeshi students who got GPA 8 in SSC and HSC combined will be eligible to apply. The lowest grade for foreign students and indigenous students is GPA 7.
A total of 30,123 students scored GPA 5 in HSC examinations from science group this year.
-With New Age input
