Bangladesh: Dhaka shaken by youth spirit by Tahir Hasan
“I am suffering, of course. But the student protest is logical. Suppose, I'm standing by the road; now what if a bus runs over me?”
said Md.Atique who came to Uttara for University Coaching from Bagerhat for treatment.
Student protests spread like wildfire across the capital and elsewhere in the country yesterday, with the demonstrators vowing to remain on the streets until their demands for road safety are met.
Angered by police beating on the previous day, thousands of students in uniforms and schoolbags on their back poured onto the streets of Dhaka and blocked various streets, halting traffic>
All educational institutions in the country will remain shut today for “students' safety,” Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid told the prees.
A number of educational institutions in the capital were closed yesterday, the fourth day of the protest that began after two college students were killed in a road crash near the airport on Sunday.
Some 70 vehicles were vandalized during the protest at Shanir Akhra, Mirpur and Uttara, according to witnesses and my journalist friend.
Venting their anger and frustration through fiery slogans and creative and thought-provoking placards, many students took matters into their own hands to restore order on the otherwise disorderly road.
For a day, they assumed the role of traffic police, checking documents of almost all modes of transports in presence of police. They took away the keys from those who failed to show
their license.
Despite their sufferings on the road, many commuters expressed solidarity with the protest because of their pent-up grievances for years over the anarchy in the public transport system.
SOME KEY DEMANDS OF THE STUDENT
Killer of the student must be brought to justice.
Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan must offer an apology for his comments about the road crash and resign.
The arrested student must be freed.
Footbridge must be built on road adjacent to all
educational institute.
Speed breakers must be set up on roads in accident-prone areas.
Unfit vehicles and driving without license must banned.
Public transport fare must be halved for student
across the country.
Buses must not carry passengers beyond their capacity.
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