IU Correspondent: Students of Islamic University (IU) in Kushtia staged a protest on Wednesday by blocking the Khulna-Kushtia highway, demanding immediate repairs to the severely damaged road.
The demonstration began around 3:00 pm in front of the university’s main gate and continued for approximately an hour and a half. During the blockade, vehicular movement came to a complete standstill in both directions, causing significant disruption. Several commuters expressed their frustration over the traffic halt.
Throughout the protest, students chanted slogans such as: “We have shed blood, we will shed more,” “In the flood of blood, injustice will drown,” “No compromise, only protest,” “We reject harassment by road authorities,” and “Direct action against the administration.”
Leaders of the IU unit of Students Against Discrimination later addressed the gathering, reiterating their demand for urgent road repairs.
S.M. Sweet, former coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement at IU, stated: “As a result of this one-and-a-half-hour blockade, the Kushtia District Commissioner has been compelled to promise that the potholes will be repaired within a week. Full renovation work is scheduled to commence after 22 October. If the administration fails to act within this timeframe, we will launch a more intensified movement.”
Following this assurance, students ended the blockade.
The Kushtia District Commissioner confirmed: “The potholes will be fixed within a week, and the entire highway will be fully renovated thereafter.”
