Police foil march to Secretariat by MATS students

Police thwarted an attempt by medical assistant training school (MATS) students to march towards the Bangladesh Secretariat on Sunday afternoon by charging baton on the protesters near the Supreme Court area.

At least 20 injured students were admitted to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital following the chase by police.

Earlier, despite pleas for calm, the students broke through police barricade to go to the Secretariat, where their representatives were holding talks with home ministry officials over their four-point demand.

In the face of baton charges, water canons and sound grenades, the students retreated to Shahbagh intersection and blocked the key route.

At 11am, they gathered at the Shahbagh intersection and later blocked the crucial communication point.

At 2pm, Tuhin Farabi, the health adviser’s special assistant, came to the spot to request for a delegation from the protesters to discuss their demands. A five-member delegation later went to the Secretariat to place their demands.

These demands include ensuring equitable access to higher education, recruiting sub-assistant community medical officers for vacant positions, reinstating the one-year internship with stipends, and abolishing the proposed Allied Health Professional Education Board in favour of establishing a "Medical Education Board of Bangladesh."