Summary:
- Medical Assistant Training School (MATS) students blocked Dhaka’s Shahbagh-TSC road on 9 February, causing significant traffic disruptions during their sit-in protest.
- Protesters demanded job vacancies in government healthcare roles, curriculum modernization, institutional renaming to “medical institute,” and a dedicated Medical Education Board.
- The demonstration followed weeks of escalating activism, with hundreds marching to Shahbagh at 11 AM carrying banners and chanting slogans.
- Authorities confirmed slowed vehicular movement in the area but have not yet addressed the students’ demands publicly.
Trainee medical students from Bangladesh’s Medical Assistant Training School (MATS) blocked Dhaka’s Shahbagh-TSC road on Sunday morning, staging protests over unmet demands for job opportunities, curriculum reforms, and institutional upgrades. The demonstration disrupted traffic for hours as hundreds marched to the busy intersection following weeks of escalating activism.
Students began gathering at Shahbagh around 11 AM, carrying banners and chanting slogans to press four core demands: immediate filling of vacant 10th-grade government healthcare positions, expanded job quotas in public and private sectors, modernization of their training curriculum, renaming MATS to a “medical institute,” and establishing an independent Medical Education Board.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police confirmed traffic congestion spread through the area due to the roadblock. “Vehicular movement remains slow at the intersection as protesters occupy the street,” said Mehedi Shakil, assistant commissioner (traffic) of DMP’s Shahbagh zone.
The protest marks the latest escalation in a campaign stretching over two weeks, with students arguing their diplomas – equivalent to higher secondary certificates – limit career prospects despite their healthcare training. Demonstrators emphasized the need for curriculum updates aligned with modern medical standards and clearer pathways to secure employment.
Authorities have yet to issue an official response to the demands. The protest concluded peacefully by early afternoon, but organizers warned of further actions if their concerns remain unaddressed.
