Protesters demand a concrete roadmap from authorities before returning to academic activities; concerns remain over exclusion of new batch from accommodation plans.

Students of Dhaka Medical College have declared that they will not return to classes until a clear and actionable plan is presented to resolve the ongoing housing crisis. Despite recent discussions with government officials, the protesting students said the lack of a concrete roadmap from the college administration has left them no choice but to continue their movement.

On Tuesday afternoon, student representatives addressed the media at a press conference held on the college premises. Mahbub Morshed Siam, a student from the K-80 batch, explained, “Yesterday, we met with the Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser at the Secretariat. We highlighted our demands and he agreed with our concerns. He informed us that a national project to construct 19 new dormitories across medical colleges is in process, with two of them planned for Dhaka Medical College. This proposal is expected to be placed before the Ministry of Health in the upcoming ECNEC meeting, where our case will be prioritized.”

In light of this assurance, Siam said that students had temporarily vacated the risky fourth floor of the Shaheed Dr. Fazle Rabbi Hall and relocated to safer accommodations on the lower floors. However, he emphasized that this was only a partial solution and far from permanent.

Alfaz Hossain Sihab of the K-79 batch echoed similar sentiments. “Although the administration provided a tentative roadmap for housing students from batches K-78 to K-81, no such plan has been communicated for the newly admitted K-82 batch,” he stated. “Today we met with college authorities again, and they said a plan for the new batch will be shared soon. But until a specific, official roadmap is presented, we will not return to classes.”

The protest stems from long-standing issues surrounding student accommodation at Dhaka Medical College. The crisis reached a boiling point earlier this month when students launched a full boycott of academic activities, submitting a five-point list of demands.

In response to mounting pressure, the college’s academic council held an emergency meeting on June 21. The council decided to temporarily suspend academic activities and instructed all students to vacate their halls by noon on June 22. Students, however, defied the directive and reaffirmed their commitment to continue protesting until their demands are met.

As the standoff continues, the students’ movement has gained increasing attention nationwide. They argue that without safe and adequate housing, attending classes becomes an impossible burden—especially for those coming from remote areas.

With the situation still unresolved, all eyes are now on the college administration and the Ministry of Health to see whether they will act promptly to ensure a sustainable and inclusive accommodation plan that addresses the concerns of all students, including the newest entrants.