A good number of people from Narail staged a human chain and a protest rally in front of the Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka city on Friday, demanding establishment of a university and a medical college in the southwestern district town.
Under the banner of “Dhaka’s Residents from Narail”, they organised the programmes to press home their demand.
They threatened if their demands are not fulfilled, they will march towards the Secretariat and announce tougher programmes.
The protesters alleged that neighbouring districts have received multiple higher education institutions, but Narail has been systematically deprived.
They pointed out that Jessore already has a public university and a medical college, yet Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin has recently written a letter to the Ministry of Education seeking approval for another agricultural university in Jessore.
“Why does Jessore need multiple universities while Narail has none?” they questioned, urging the government to immediately approve a public university and a medical college for Narail.
Speaking as the chief guest, SK Kaiser Mahmud, office secretary of the Narail District Association, said, “Narail has given the nation legendary figures like poet Bijoy Sarkar, Bir Shreshtha Noor Mohammad, artist SM Sultan, dancer Uday Shankar, sitar maestro Ravi Shankar, and several national sports captains. Yet, successive governments have done little beyond making promises. A university has been our dream for over an era – a this time, the demand must be fulfilled at any cost.”
Former central leader of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, Mahmuda Sultana Rimi, spoke as the chief speaker, saying, “Many patients from Narail die on the way to Dhaka or Khulna due to the lack of proper healthcare facilities. The district hospital has limited ability and equipment to proper treatment. There is no university for higher education. We have now taken to the streets — we will not return home without achieving our rights.”
Former ASP Ahiduzzaman said, “For the sake of our future generations, a public university and a medical college must be established in Narail. This is our demand of the heart.”
Former student leader Ziaur Rahman said, “Jessore already has a public university and medical college – why another one there? This new university should be set up in Narail.”
