Staff Reporter :At least 15 students were injured as the police charged baton on the protesting medical admission seekers at Kawranbazar when they were going to lay a siege to the Health Directorate, demanding retake of the MBBS and BDS admission tests.The injured students were sent to different hospitals for treatment. As per programme, the protesters were marching towards Mohakhali to lay a siege to the Health Directorate around 2 pm, but police intercepted them at Kawranbazar point.Witnesses said that police charged baton, used pepper spray indiscriminately.A chase and counter-chase took place prompting the police to pick up 15 protesters who were set free after a while. Mahmud Ullah, a demonstrator, told The New Nation that they had been observing peaceful programme since September 20. But the police finally decided to foil our movement and assaulted us.”We were going to the Health Directorate to press home our demand. But the police stopped us beside the Sonargaon Hotel and charged baton on us for no reason. The police assaulted female students also,” he said. The agitating students also blocked the Shahbagh Intersection and thereby created tremendous pressure on the traffic. As a result, severe traffic jam almost paralysed the city life. Meanwhile, Health Minister Mohammed Nasim told the media that the admission tests would not be held again. The minister termed the movement illogical. The admission seekers gathered at Central Shaheed Minar around 12 pm and later took position at Shahbagh Intersection point.Some students of Dhaka Medical College, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) and private medical colleges joined the protest programme.Khaled Saifullah, an admission seeker, said, the students of the DMC and the DU have expressed solidarity with our movement spontaneously.Meanwhile, Pragatishil Chhatra Jote and Samrajjyabad Birodhi Chhatra Oikkya and two platforms of 14 left-leaning student organistations, observed strike, demanding retake of medical admission tests in all the educational institutions across the country yesterday.Leaders of the platforms locked the gates of Curzon Hall, Arts building, Social Science and Business faculties of the Dhaka University (DU) at about 6:30am. But the DU Proctor broke the locks. Classes were mostly vacant, but some examinations took place.The student leaders brought out a procession on the campus at about 9:30am in favour of the strike.They threatened to go for tough movement if the government did not show any heed to their demand. In Sylhet, protestors blocked Chouhatta Road in the heart of the city at noon.It may be mentioned that the medical admission seekers have been on a movement since September 19, a day after the admission tests were held, demanding the cancellation of the admission tests and taking fresh tests since alleging question paper leak. The authorities however, have not budged in this regard. The government has refuted allegations of question leak. Medical colleges have already begun the admission processes.
