Dhaka: Students again blocked Shahbagh intersection in Dhaka on Tuesday, demanding the arrest of those who attacked Hindu people in Nasirnagr, Brahmanbaria and immediate removal of Minister Sayedul Hoque for his ‘derogatory remarks’ about Hindus following the attacks.

Witnesses said a group of students from Dhaka University’s Jagannath Hall and leaders and activities of different left-leaning student bodies, including Samajtantrik Chhatra Front, Chhatra Federation and Chhatra Union, under the banner of ‘General Students of Dhaka University’ gathered at Shahbagh intersection at about 11:30am, reports UNB.

Later, the protesters put up a barricade on the busy road, halting traffic.

The students also demanded reconstruction of the damaged houses and temples in Nasirnagar by the government and setting up a minority affairs ministry and a commission.

Besides, leaders and activists of different organisations of minority communities, including Minority Rights Movement and Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Adibashi Party, joined the blockade programme.

Later, Dhaka University Vice-chancellor Prof AMS Arefin Siddique, its acting proctor M Amzad Ali and Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) president Saifur Rahman and its general secretary SM Zakir Hossain visited the spot.

The demonstrators finally withdrew the blockade at about 1:00pm following the assurance by the DU VC that he will arrange a discussion with Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader over their demands, said co-coordinator of the movement Manik Rakkhit.

They will also stage a long march towards Nasirnagar from Shahbag on November 18 to press for the same demands.

They threatened to go on a tougher movement if their demands are not met by November 30.

Earlier on Friday, the students blocked the Shahbagh intersection over the same issues.

On October 30, a group of religious zealots carried out a synchronised attack on Hindu people, vandalising around 100 homes and temples and looting their valuables, including cash, gold ornaments and idols, television and mobile phones. The two-hour mayhem reportedly followed a Facebook post from the account of a local fisherman, ‘hurting the religious sentiment’ of Muslims.

Fisheries and Livestock Minister Sayedul‘s role came into question as he allegedly made derogatory remarks about the minority people following the attacks.

Unidentified miscreants set fire to at least six houses of Hindus at different villages in Nasirnagar upazila on November 5 and torched another Hindu house at Changapur village in the same upazila on November 13 amid huge outcry following the previous attack on the Hindu community.