Protesting the bus burning by Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (Cuet) students centring the deaths of their two fellows in a tragic road crash on 22 April, a transport organisation called for a 48 hour bus strike beginning from 6am on Sunday in Chattogram division to press home their four-point demand.
Brihattor Chattogram Ganaparibahan Malik Sramik Oikkyo Parishad, meaning ‘Greater Chattogram Public Transport Owners Workers Unity Council,’ announced the programme from an emergency meeting of the organisation on Saturday afternoon, confirmed its member secretary Md Musa.
As per the programme, the strike will end at 6am on Tuesday, he said, adding that all kinds of emergency vehicles including ambulances will remain out of purview of the strike.
“We called for a 48 hour strike with effect from 6am tomorrow on four- point demand including protesting the burning of vehicles,” he said.
On 22 April, 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.
As soon as the news spread, some Cuet students vandalised three buses and set one more on fire on that day.
The students took to the streets boycotting classes and examinations and continued their protests till 25 April blocking the Chattogram-Kaptai road by setting fire on logs and tyres to press home their 9 point demand for safe road.
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 licenses of the buses and CNG-run auto-rickshaws that ply the road , making the Student Welfare Council under accountable and forming students representative group.
Bus driver Md Tazul Islam was arrested from the Kotwali area of Chattogram city on 25 April.
On the same day, the Cuet was declared closed for an indefinite period as students burst into protests demanding road safety and they were asked to vacate their dormitories.
Protesting the move, the students again blocked the road and burnt buses.
Considering the circumstances, the Cuet administration held a meeting with the protesting students at night of the same day.
Later, the students postponed their movement and said they would return to academic activities.
Again on 26 April, the Cuet authority decided to keep campus closed till 9 March after holding an emergency meeting of the syndicate committee.
A day after, the transport organization called for the strike.
