Students of the Government Unani and Ayurvedic Medical College staged a sit-in protest in front of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) in Dhaka on Wednesday, demanding the immediate promulgation of an ordinance to regulate Unani and Ayurvedic medical education.

The protests which began at 10 am was part of a continued movement by the students to address what they describe as long-standing discrimination in the sector.

Zubair, one of the protesting students, said, “We are victims of discrimination. Students from general backgrounds have been admitted to our college in violation of the rules. Despite having three streams under the Alternative Medical Care – Homoeopathy, Unani, and Ayurvedic – only the Homoeopathy Act was passed in September 2023. The Unani and Ayurvedic bill remains stuck. We don’t understand why we are being sidelined.”

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Another student, Habib, said, “We are protesting an illegal letter issued on June 30 for admitting 250 students. These students were given degrees without any admission test. After our protest, the letter was canceled, but we have received no assurance from the health authorities about our future.”

The students alleged that they have been denied a medical council for 35 years and demanded the swift passage of the Unani and Ayurvedic Medical Education and Practice Ordinance.

Students said they began peaceful demonstrations on June 30 which included torch processions, sit-ins, human chains, and protest rallies across different parts of Dhaka.