48-hour ultimatum to resolve budget disparity in North Bengal, warning of blockade

ছবিঃ সিএনআই

Nazrul Islam Raju, Rangpur:
‎Students have become agitated in protest of the long-standing budget disparity towards North Bengal including Rangpur. They demand to eliminate budget disparity and ensure development.
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‎On Monday (July 28), around 11:30 am, students of Begum Rokeya University blocked the Rangpur-Dhaka Highway at Modern Mor in Rangpur city and observed a 'blockade' program until 12:30 pm. They gave the government a 48-hour ultimatum to implement their demands. Hundreds of students participated in this hour-long 'blockade' program.
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‎A large number of police were deployed at Modern Mor to keep the situation under control. Along with this, members of the army were also seen performing their duties so that no untoward incident occurs.
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‎A protest procession of students started from the main gate of the university campus and took up position at the Modern intersection via Krishnachura Road, Bijoy Road and Abu Sayeed Chattar. This caused severe traffic congestion on this important highway. The protesters chanted slogans like “If you want blood, don’t shed blood, give budget to Rangpur”,
‎“Break the DU syndicate, crush it”,
‎“There is no place for discrimination in Abu Sayeed’s university”,
‎“If you want beg, don’t beg, give budget to Rangpur”.

‎Two-point demands: From the blockade program, the students raised two demands for the development of North Bengal and the infrastructural crisis of Begum Rokeya University-

‎1. Formation of an independent regional development commission to resolve the long-standing budget inequality in North Bengal and for overall development including education, health, agriculture and infrastructure.
‎2. Begum Rokeya University to be transformed into an autonomous and full-fledged university.
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‎The protesting students said that if effective steps are not taken within 48 hours to realize their demands, they will call for a non-cooperation movement including the 'North Bengal Blockade' program. They also warned of boycotting classes and exams.
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‎A new program was announced from the demand realization (Tuesday). Student Shahriar Sohag, who participated in the protest, said that a memorandum will be submitted to the District Commissioner and Divisional Commissioner by holding a 'March to the Deputy Commissioner' and 'March to the Divisional Commissioner' programs from Abu Sayeed Chattar on Tuesday.
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Students Shahriar Sohag, Shamsur Rahman said, “Even though it is said that there is no place for discrimination in Bangladesh after July, we still see budget discrimination with North Bengal and Begum Rokeya University. The crisis of classrooms and housing in the university is glaring. Yet there is no budget allocation for these developments.”

‎Some other students Ahsan Habib, Rahmat Ali, Zahid Hasan said, “Even after the 2024 anti-discrimination movement, we were hopeful that the government would be fair in budget distribution. But North Bengal has been neglected in this year’s budget as well. We are on the streets against that neglect.”

‎It is worth noting that on Sunday (July 27), 12 projects were approved at a cost of Tk 8,149.38 crore in the meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC). Of this, Tk 2,840 crore was allocated for the development of Dhaka University alone. However, there was no allocation for the development of Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur City Corporation, or North Bengal.