Pro-AL intellectuals ask Shajahan to resign from cabinet amid raging student protests

Two pro-Awami League intellectuals have joined the growing chorus of the student protesters in demanding that Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan resign from cabinet.

Shajahan"s smile and comments on Sunday's accident raised a furore among the protesters demanding safe roads. Many took to the social media to vent their anger.

Dr Ashikur Rahman, senior economist at the Policy Research Institute, who is also aspiring to run for a Bhola parliamentary seat, and Barrister Shah Ali Farhad, Senior Analyst at Awami League’s research wing Centre for Research and Information [CRI], called for Shahjahan's resignation in Facebook posts.

“Not only from cabinet, inhuman people like you would be ousted from politics one day,” wrote Ashikur, sharing a news link that says the minister would not resign.

In another post he wrote: “I fell in love with our social fabric when I saw thousands coming out in 2013 demanding the trial of war criminals. They did not fear the fanatics nor the machetes of fundamentalists when they demanded [at the top of their voice] that those who killed our loved ones during our Liberation War must face the law no matter how invincible they appear.

“I have again fallen in love with our social fabric whose frustration with the utter lack of respect for rule of law by our political elites has manifested itself in this beautiful movement by our children,” he wrote.

“We must respect this sentiment because only then [can we] create a just society.”

Farhad said Minister Shajahan's resignation will not solve road safety issues overnight in Bangladesh.

“But it will surely send the right message to the people. And will surely set the right precedent,” he wrote.

He, however, applauded Shajahan for apologising to the students.

“Now, he should go that extra mile. He should resign from the Cabinet and avoid causing further embarrassment to one of the most successful Governments led by one of the most successful Prime Ministers in Bangladesh's development history," Farhad wrote.

“Following his resignation, the Government must ensure, that the directives issued by the Prime Minister to enhance road safety in June and the latest announcement by the Home Minister to implement all the demands of the student protestors are met expeditiously and sincerely.”

“As there is nothing that is debatable here. We all are in agreement. Even the General Secretary of Awami League Obaidul Quader today said that the demands are all justified. Our roads must be made safe for all our children. Not just the children of those who own private cars and SUVs.”

The shipping minister is known for taking sides of the bus drivers and owners after any fatal accidents.

He is also the executive president of Bangladesh Road Transport Workers Federation.

On Sunday, a bus of Jabal-e-Noor Paribahan ploughed into a crowd waiting for transport near the Airport Road flyover ramp in Kurmitola, leaving two students of the Shaheed Ramiz Uddin Cantonment College dead on the spot.

The minister had attempted to play down the accident during a media briefing by comparing it with fatalities in an Indian state.