CUET students continue demonstration for safe road; boycott classes

Communication on Chattogram-Kaptai road remained suspended for the second consecutive day on Tuesday as the students of Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) blocked the road, protesting the death of two fellows in a road crash .

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

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 that day.

The protesting students arranged gayebana janaza for Tawfiq on the road Tuesday.

They demanded the 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, establishing a modern treatment centre with all facilities on the campus, providing ambulances with modern equipment, stopping movement of all local buses including Shah Amanat and AB Travels on the road, examining liscences of the buses and CNG-run autorickshaws that ply the road, making the Student Welfare Council accountable, and forming students representative group.

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

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.