Students of Medical Assistant Training Schools (MATS) staged a blockade at the Shahbagh intersection in the capital, pressing for their four-point charter of demands.
Earlier, they had gathered in front of the National Museum before moving to Shahbagh.
By around 10am on Wednesday (22 January), over 300 students from across the country had assembled at the site.
The blockade began at approximately 12:45pm., with the demonstrators occupying the Shahbagh intersection.
The scene at Shahbagh during the afternoon depicted the students steadfast in their resolve.
Their demands include immediate recruitment in vacant positions at the 10th grade, creation of new posts in both public and private sectors, revision of the course curriculum, and renaming their institutions as medical institutes.
Additionally, they seek the cancellation of the proposed Allied Health Professional Board and the establishment of an independent Medical Education Board of Bangladesh, along with the provision of postgraduate clinical education meeting international standards and BMDC recognition.
Prior to this, MATS students had boycotted classes, staged strikes, and held sit-in programmes.
Sakib Mahmud, a participant in the sit-in, expressed frustration, stating, "We have been protesting for a long time, but none of our demands are being met. We will continue our movement until the government accedes to our demands."
Zahirul Islam Nibir, who had come from Manikganj, added, "We have been voicing our demands for a long time. I have been doing my internship for eight months without receiving any allowance, relying solely on money from home. An allowance is necessary for living expenses as well."
The students vowed to persist with their movement until their demands are acknowledged by the government.
