Death of a woman and injuries to a university student in separate road accidents at Moghbazar and Dhanmondi in the capital on Monday triggered violent protests.
Marzina, 40, a cleaner of a shopping mall, died on the spot after a bus ran over her at M0ghbazar while a Stamford University student sustained critical injuries after being hit by a bus at Dhanmondi.
A mob set fire to two buses and vandalised several others following the death of Marzina at about 3:15pm, suspending traffic movement at Moghbazar in the rush hours.
Witnesses said a mini bus of Prabhati Banasree Paribahan knocked her down while she was crossing the road.
‘After the accident, agitated people torched two buses and damaged some other buses,’ said assistant commissioner of police (Ramna zone) SM Shibli Noman.
Fire Service and Civil Defence people rushed to the spot and doused the fire. Traffic movement resumed after the police controlled the mob.
At Dhanmondi, students of private Stamford University went berserk on Satmasjid Road as rumour about the death of one of their fellows spread instantly.
Shawgatul Alam Shimul, 18, a first semester student of the law department, suffered injuries after a bus of Mohammadpur-Dhupkhola route knocked him down near Jigatola at about 9:30am, said Inspector Muhammad Anwar Hossain, Dhanmondi police officer-in-charge.
Local people admitted him into nearby Japan-Bangladesh Friendship Hospital.
The students in protest put blockade on the road and damaged several vehicles. Police went to the spot and used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse them.
The traffic movement through Satmasjid Road, Jigatola and Mohammadpur resumed after the police controlled the situation at about 2:00pm.
Shops and other business installations kept their shutters down, witnesses said, adding that a number of students reportedly sustained injuries during the demonstrations.
The police seized the bus, but its driver escaped, the Dhanmondi police said.
A case was also filed with the police station.
Courtesy of New Age
