A Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP) student being run over by a bus has sparked countrywide outrage, bringing Dhaka to its knees with road blockades for the second day.

The protesters, students from various educational institutions, have taken to the streets demanding safe roads. They are adamant about not leaving until their eight-point demands are made.

On Tuesday (Mar 19), Abrar Ahmed Chowdhury was killed after a Shuprovat Transport bus ran him over.

The incident or the protest is, however, not the first of its kind. Last year the death of two students caused such outrage, giving rise to the road safety movement with roads being blocked for several days.

On Wednesday (Mar 20) several people were seen walking to their destinations as students had taken position at the capital’s Kuril, Pragati Sarani, Shahjadpur, Rampura, Badda, Mohakhali, Banani, Science Lab, Farmgate Old Dhaka and several other places.
The sufferings increased as the day went by with many vehicles being stuck at one place for hours unable to manoeuvre through the traffic. People, however, have mixed feelings about the movement.
Sayema Khatun didn’t imagine that things would take such a turn when she dropped her son to school in the morning.
“We’re not being able to return home. We tried to take the alley but that ended up taking more time,” she told Bangla Tribune.
Meanwhile, Borhan who couldn’t even cross the Airport road from Uttara in three hours says that he is in solidarity with the movement despite the suffering.
“Everyone’s suffering but if this issue isn’t resolved this could happen to anyone,” he said and added that steps should be taken soon out of respect for the protesters.
The Mirpur Road on the other hand is under gridlock with vehicles as students have blocked three points on this road.
People were seen standing on the sidewalk desperately waiting to get a public transport which seems scarce given the blockade.
“The government has been unable to give us safe roads although that has been our demand for a long time,” said Rajib Uddin.
“Negligence and irregularities on the drivers’ part has made the roads into a living hell,” he added.
The protesting students also checked the liscense and papers of the buses that were on the road and Rajib said that it was because “the law enforcers don’t really monitor their papers.”
On the scarcity of public transport on the streets, the owners said that students checking documents and reservations about the protest have collectively led them to allow fewer buses on the streets.
“To be honest many buses are vandalised during these movements,” Dhaka Road Transport Owners Association Office Secretary Samdani Khandaker told Bangla Tribune.
He added that vehicles on stranded for hours was another reason why public transport was scarce.