Death of student: Protesters block Dhaka streets for second day

Protesters have blocked the streets near Jamuna Future Park in Dhaka for the second day after the death of a student in a road accident.

A bus operated by Suprobhat Paribahan ran over and killed Abrar Ahmed Chowdhury, 20, a first-year student of international relations department at the Bangladesh University of Professionals, or BUP, on a zebra crossing near Jamuna Future Park on Tuesday.

The protests resumed around 9.30 am on Wednesday on the road leading into the Bashundhara residential area, near the shopping mall.

Students of American International University Bangladesh (AIUB), North South University (NSU) and Siddheshwari College joined BUP students in demanding safer roads in the wake of Abrar’s death.

The police created diversions at the Kalachandpur Bus Stand and Kuril as traffic at Pragati Sarani came to a standstill due to the protests.

A large number of police personnel lined up on both sides of the roads near the place of the protest in Nadda and Kalachandpur Bus Stand. But as of 10:30 am, there has not been any unrest in the area. 

Meanwhile, traffic in other parts of the city ground to a halt after protesters took to the streets in Shahbagh, Dhanmondi, Science Laboratory crossing and Old Dhaka.

The eldest of two brothers, Abrar lived with his family in Block D of Bashundhara Residential Area. His father, Arif Ahmed Chowdhury, is a former army officer.

Abrar enrolled into BUP last year after completing the A' Level. He was laid to rest in the capital's Banani Graveyard on Tuesday evening.