Six-Hour Blockade Withdrawn in Sitakunda over Student's Death, District Commissioner Promises Footbridge
A blockade of highway and railway by students protesting the death of a university student in a road accident in Sitakunda, Chattogram, was withdrawn after nearly six hours. The protesting students lifted the blockade at 4:10pm on Tuesday (3 November) on the assurance of District Commissioner Mohammad Zahidul Islam Miah.
Earlier, Maisha Mushfirat, a second-semester student of the English Language and Literature Department of the International Islamic University Chittagong (IIUC), was killed when a bus overturned after being hit by a lorry in Kumira, Sitakunda, and she was trapped under the bus. Another student, Razia, was injured in the accident.
Angered by the incident, students blockaded the Dhaka-Chattogram highway and the railway. This created a long tailback on the highway and disrupted rail movement as well.
On hearing of the accident, District Commissioner Zahidul Islam contacted Chattogram Medical College Hospital and took steps for proper treatment of the injured student. He also spoke to the father of the deceased Maisha, Didarul Alam, expressed condolences and assured him of necessary assistance.
Sitakunda Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Fakhrul Islam and the officer-in-charge of the police station first went to the spot to handle the situation. However, when students demanded the district commissioner's direct presence, he went to the spot.
The district commissioner was accompanied by Police Superintendent Md Masud Alam, Ansar and VDP District Commandant Md Sefaoul Hossain, Additional District Magistrate Syed Mahbubul Haque, and teachers including the university's vice-chancellor.
Maisha's janaza was later held on the highway, attended by the district commissioner and others present. After the janaza, the district commissioner told students he had spoken to the ministry secretary and to the relevant offices of the Roads and Highways Department even before hearing their demands.
The district commissioner said: 'I will write today itself for a footbridge, so that the footbridge can be built here in the fastest possible time.' He also assured them of necessary safety measures on both sides of the road.
The district commissioner also promised to evict illegal structures beside the railway line. He also conveyed the police superintendent's assurance that the lorry driver involved in the accident would be brought under the law quickly.
The protesting students' eight-point demands include a case through the university authorities, arrest of the driver within 24 hours and action against the driver and owner, stopping illegal parking at the KDS depot, building a footbridge, compensation, and ensuring safe road crossing.
