After student Maisha's death in Sitakunda, drive against illegal parking at university gate fines Tk 55,000
In Sitakunda, Chattogram, a BRTA mobile court has conducted a drive to stop illegal parking on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway beside the International Islamic University gate, after the death of university student Maisha Mushfirat.
In the drive, which ran from Wednesday noon until 5:30 pm, fines totalling Tk 55,000 were collected from lorry and covered-van drivers in 15 separate cases.
The drive in the area adjoining the university gate was led by BRTA executive magistrate Dipak Tripura. Alongside members of the law-enforcement agencies, members of the Bar Aulia highway police were present.
Executive magistrate Dipak Tripura said the first of the demands put forward by students after the student's death was to stop illegal parking in the area adjoining the university gate, and the drive was carried out following that demand.
Cases were filed against the drivers of 15 lorries and covered vans parked illegally on the highway. Drivers and owners of vehicles without road permits, fitness certificates and tax tokens were warned.
People concerned at establishments near the university, including Total Gas and KDS, were instructed to be more careful about vehicle movement and parking and to follow traffic law.
Earlier, on Tuesday morning, Maisha Mushfirat (21), a student of the university's Department of English Language and Literature, was killed when a speeding lorry ran her over in the university gate area. Another student of the university and 10 more passengers of an overturned minibus were injured in the accident.
After the accident, angry students blockaded the Dhaka-Chattogram highway and the railway and put forward demands including an end to illegal parking in the university gate area.
That afternoon, the Chattogram deputy commissioner came to the spot and discussed with the students. After assurances that the demands would be implemented, the students withdrew the blockade from the highway and railway.
