Students announce public gathering at Science Lab demanding ordinance for university

Students have announced a public gathering at Science Lab intersection in the capital on Monday (19 Jan), demanding the issuance of the final ordinance to establish the proposed Dhaka Central University by bringing together seven colleges.

The programme will begin at 11:00am, during which a stage will be set up to announce the movement’s next course of action, said a press release on Saturday.

According to the press release, a draft of the Dhaka Central University Act 2025, formulated to establish Dhaka Central University through the integration of seven colleges, was published on the website of the Secondary and Higher Education Division of the Ministry of Education on 24 September 2025.

Following the publication of the draft, widespread discussions and debates emerged both in favour of and against it. In response, the Ministry of Education held consultation meetings with all relevant stakeholders.

The students claimed that based on feedback received from these consultations, the Ministry of Education revised and updated the draft law.

They further said that during a series of continuous sit-in programmes in front of the Education Building on 7 and 8 December 2025, student representatives held meetings with ministry officials.

At those meetings, the ministry assured the students that all ancillary procedures would be completed by December and that the ordinance would be issued in early January.

However, the protesters allege that despite the passing of the stipulated timeframe, the final ordinance for Dhaka Central University has yet to be issued by the president. As a result, they have announced a fresh street movement based on a single-point demand.

The press release, signed by Dhaka College student Md Naim Howlader, also noted that earlier on 14 and 15 January, students had blocked the Science Lab, Technical and Tantibazar intersections in the capital demanding the issuance of the ordinance.

The students said the programme aims to highlight their long-standing demand for an end to the “guardianless” academic life of students of the seven colleges and the prevailing substandard education system.

They also called on all students to remain united to ensure the success of the programme and urged widespread publicity and mobilisation.

Expressing regret to city residents for the temporary public inconvenience caused by the programme, the protesters said they would return to their studies as soon as their legitimate demands are met.