Agitated workers of Barapukuria Coal Mine in Dinajpur demonstrated on Sunday and gave an ultimatum of 72 hours to fulfill their demand of payment of eight months' arrears and rejoining work to the authority. The workers gathered for a meeting at the mine’s entrance after a demonstration in the area and handed a memorandum of the demands to the representative of the mine authority around noon. Also read: 175 officials including MD of Barapukuria Coal Mine contract Covid; coal extraction suspended If the demands are not met by 12pm on April 27, workers will take position in front of the mine’s entrance along with family and celebrate a joyless Eid-ul-Fitr there, said Robiul Islam, President of Barapukuria Coal Mine Miners' and Workers' Union. “Some 700 workers are struggling as eight months wages are due. Moreover, after sending them home due to Covid-19 two years have passed and the situation has become normal but they are not being allowed to join work yet,” said Abu Sufian, General Secretary of Barapukuria Coal Mine Miners' and Workers' Union. Also read: Roof collapse at Barapukuria coal mine kills 2 On January 30, this year, coal extraction was suspended temporarily at Barapukuria Coal Mine after around 125 Bangladeshi officials and 50 Chinese officials, including the managing director tested positive for COVID-19.

Students of different colleges in Dhaka gave the authorities concerned a 24-hour ultimatum to arrest the bus staff who reportedly threatened to rape a female student. Several hundred college students, including those of Begum Badrunnesa Government Girls College took to the streets at 10 am to press home their various demands, including the arrest of the bus helper, and put barricades at Bakshaibazar crossing, halting traffic. They alleged that when a 2nd year student of Badrunnesa College wanted to pay half bus fare on Saturday, an assistant of a driver of a bus of ‘Thikana Paribahan’ threatened to rape her. Also read: College students vandalise buses demanding half bus fare

Thousands of protesters on Monday blocked traffic at Shahbagh intersection for sveral hours to denounce the recent violence against minority Hindus in different parts of the country. Joined by Dhaka University students the protesters from the Hindu community threatened to continue the blockade indefinitely. However, around 2pm, they called off the sit-in programme following assurance from the authorities. Also read: Quran desecration: Protesters clash with police in Baitul Mukarram area The protesters were seen chanting slogans demanding a separate ministry for the minorities and asking the administration to answer why the temples were attacked. Their demands include:  Formation of a special tribunal and investigate the negligence of local administration, ensure exemplary punishment for those involved in the attacks ,formation of separate ministry and commission for the country's minorities ,properly compensate the victim families and businesses , povide necessary treatment to those who got injured in the attacks , immediately rebuild the damaged temples, houses, and other establishments ,  make new law to ensure highest punishment for communal attacks , allocate 15 per cent of the country's GDP for minority communities,, revamp Hindu Religious Welfare Trust, release all Hindus arrested since the 13 October incident and compensate them , take measures to prevent the spread of communalism and prevent extremists and anti-independence forces from tarnishing Bangladesh's image. They vowed to continue their protest until their demands are met. Also read: Hindu people demonstrate in Noakhali The blockade triggered severe traffic gridlock in Shahbagh, Paltan, Science Lab, Elephant Road, Bangla Motor and the adjacent areas. Earlier on 13 September, a reported demeaning of the holy Quran stoked communal tensions in Cumilla. Following the incident, attacks were carried out on puja mandaps, temples, houses, and business establishments belonging to the Hindu community in at least 10 districts of the country.

The students of Islamic University staged demonstrations for the 3rd consecutive days on Tuesday and gave a 5-day ultimatum to the authorities for reopening of the campus and the residential halls of the university.

Rajshahi University students staged demonstrations for the 2nd consecutive day on Sunday and give a 24-hour ultimatum to the authorities concerned for reopening of all the dormitories of the university.