Kazi Zahidul Hasan :Students of ASA University blocked the Mirpur road at Shyamoli for about an hour to protest the death of their fellow student in a road accident by a police bus on Monday.Traffic along Gabtoli-Azimpur route was disrupted severely following the blockade, creating immense sufferings to the commuters, police said. Several hundred students of ASA University took to the street on Tuesday noon to protest death of Riaz Uddin Tipu, a BBA final-year student of the varsity.Tipu was over run by a police-requisitioned minibus driving on the wrong side of the road in the capital’s Kakoli area when he was on his motorcycle.”The agitated students took to the streets around noon and blocked the key thoroughfare of Mirpur Road at Shyamoli to protest the death of their fellow student, halting traffic on both sides of the road,” Biplob Kumar Sarkar, a Deputy Commissioner, Tejgaon Division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) told The New Nation on Tuesday evening.He said: Traffic on the road virtually came to a halt, triggering untold sufferings to the commuters.Later, students of nearby private varsities jointed the protesters and chanted slogans demanding justice of the incident. Around 1:20pm, transport movement resumed partially after students freed one lane of the road, said Biplob Kumar Sarkar.The blockade was later removed around 2:25pm after the police officials assured of justice and compensation for the family of the victim, said Rashidul Islam, a protesting student.He, however, said that they will return to the street demonstrations again if “just actions” were not taken by Saturday.Meanwhile, the namaj-e- janaza of Tipu was held yesterday afternoon. He will be buried at his village home in Gazipur’s Salna.Haris Mohammad, elder brother of Tipu, said he has filed a case with Banani Police Station in this connection.”We want justice as a police vehicle speeding on the wrong side of the road killed my brother,” said Haris Mohammad.He said his brother was a final-year student at ASA University and my family did not find any solace over his tragic death.He was on his motorcycle when the minibus without a number plate, requisitioned by police hit him. Tipu was rushed to a hospital where doctors declared him dead.Tipu worked for mobile company Oppo. His colleague Bitin, who was riding with him, was seriously injured by the accident, said Waheduzzaman, Officer in-charge (investigation) of Banani Police Station, told The New Nation on Tuesday.According to him, both Tipu and Bitin were on their way to Radisson hotel to attend a programme.When asked, Waheduzzaman confirmed that the vehicle was requisitioned by police. He said, they have already detained the driver and he will be punished for driving on the wrong side.A witness of the accident while talking to the New Nation on Tuesday said that the minibus, which was rushing towards Mohakhali flyover, hit Tipu’s motorbike directly after taking wrong side when he was making space for another vehicle.”He could have been saved if the driver stopped the vehicle. But the vehicle moved ahead after running over the bike,” said the witness, seeking anonymity. He further said, it was total fault of police vehicle and how can you expect people to abide by laws when police choose to drive on the wrong side of the road.
