Student activists in Chattogram suspended their highway blockade on Wednesday following a government commitment to remove the Patiya police officer-in-charge (OC) and take disciplinary action against police personnel involved in a reported assault.
The groups behind the protest — the Baisomya Birodhi Chhatra Andolon and the National Students’ Parliament (NCP) — said they would resume demonstrations if the pledges were not fulfilled.
“We are stepping back for now, but if our demands are ignored, we’ll block all of Chattogram tomorrow,” a student representative told reporters.
Road Closed for Seven Hours
The protest had brought traffic on the Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar highway to a halt for nearly seven hours. Long lines of stranded vehicles built up as demonstrators blocked key road segments from early morning, demanding accountability for a police baton charge that left several students injured.
The clash started Tuesday night. Reports say some students detained a rival leader, Dipankar Talukder, and dragged him to the Patiya police.
The police wouldn’t touch him—no charges. An argument started. Then a fight. Officers allegedly pulled out their batons to disperse the students, and some of them got hurt.
Protesters Demand Three Key Actions
In response, the student groups issued three demands:
- Immediate removal of the Patiya police OC
- Formal investigation and disciplinary action against the officers involved in the alleged assault
- A public explanation for the police’s refusal to act on the students’ complaint
By late afternoon, authorities offered verbal assurance that their demands would be addressed, prompting protesters to lift the blockade.
But they made it clear — any sign of inaction could bring the city to a standstill again.
While movement on the Chattogram–Cox’s Bazar road is back to normal, the standoff between police and student groups is far from over.
