Injured protesters end blockade after 13 hours following assurance that their demands will be addressed

Injured protesters who participated in the student-led mass uprising ended their blockade on the Agargaon-Shyamoli road after approximately 13 hours, following assurances from four interim-government advisers to address their demands, including ensuring proper medical treatment.

The protesters returned to hospitals after law adviser Asif Nazrul, adviser Mahfuj Alam, fisheries and livestock adviser Farida Akhter, local government adviser Asif Mahmud, and special assistant for health Md Sayedur Rahman visited them around 2:30 am on Thursday. A meeting was scheduled at 2:00 pm on Thursday at the Secretariat, where the advisers would meet with a team representing the injured.

Adviser Mahfuj stated, “It’s not the right time to discuss things here. Please come to the Secretariat at 2:00 pm on Thursday. We will prepare an outline based on our discussions, and that will be implemented by December.” He added, "We will ensure your treatment and rehabilitation."

Acknowledging the failure to ensure proper treatment, law adviser Asif Nazrul said, “It’s our failure, our mistake. However, we have not lacked in effort. Trust us, we will provide a concrete outline in writing.”

Around 60 injured protesters, receiving treatment at hospitals such as the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation and the National Institute of Ophthalmology and Hospital, had blocked the road around 2:00 pm on Wednesday. This followed an incident earlier in the day when health adviser Nurjahan Begum visited NITOR at 11:30 am to check on the injured but left the hospital without meeting all of them. Angered, the protesters surrounded the health adviser’s vehicle, forcing her and the British High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Sarah Cook, to leave NITOR in a different vehicle.

At one point, some of the protesters, including those in wheelchairs, on crutches, and others with eyesight problems, demanded the resignation of the health adviser and vowed to remain on the street until other interim government advisers arrived to address their concerns.

Throughout the blockade, the protesters voiced their frustrations over inadequate treatment and rehabilitation, as well as delays in receiving funds from the July Shaheed Smriti Foundation.