Students continue demonstration, class boycott for safe road

CHATTOGRAM, Apr 23: The transport service on Chattogram-Kaptai road remained suspended for the second consecutive day on Tuesday protesting against the death of two students of Chattogram University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) in a road accident.  

Agitated students took to the streets boycotting classes, examinations and blocked the Chattogram-Kaptai road by setting fire to logs and tyres to press home their 9-point demand for safe road.

Two CUET students-Shanto Saha, a 3rd year student and Tawfiq Hasan, a 2nd year student of Civil Engineering Department, died when a bus of Shah Amanat paribahan hit a motorbike on Chattogram-Kaptai road at Zianagar in Rangunia upazila on Monday.
As soon as the news spread, some CUET students vandalised three buses and set one more on fire on that day.

The protesting students arranged gayebana janaza for Tawfiq on the road on Tuesday. They demanded arrest of the bus driver and his assistant and their exemplary punishment.

The other demands include providing compensation to the deceased and bearing the medical expenses of the student injured in the accident, establishment of modern treatment centre with all facilities on the campus, proving ambulances with modern equipment, stopping movement of all local buses including Shah Amanat and AB Travels on the road, examining licences of the buses and CNG-run auto-rickshaws that ply the road , making the Student Welfare Council under accountable and forming students representative group.

The protesters also threatened to continue their movement if their demands are not met by the authorities.

The academic activities including classes and examinations will remain suspended until their demands are met, said the students. Assistant Superintendent of Rangunia and Raozan circle police, Humayun Kabir, said police are talking to the students and trying to arrest the bus driver and his assistant.

Meanwhile, in a joint meeting of the CUET administration, CUET student representatives, Bus owners association, Police administration and the district administration decided to give Tk 10 lakh to families of two victims. The meeting was held at Chattogram Circuit House on Tuesday afternoon.