Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Atiqul Islam has announced the formation of separate student committees to ensure discipline on the roads.
He announced this to students protesting for safer roads, after laying the foundation stone of a foot overbridge in front of Jamuna Future Park, in Dhaka, on Wednesday.
The DNCC mayor said: “Separate committees, comprised of students from every educational institution, will be formed. These committees will work in tandem with the traffic police and city corporation personnel to help reestablish discipline on roads.
“I will make a serious effort to begin forming these student committees. I am expressing my solidarity with the Student Movement for Safer Roads. We will work together to resolve this grave issue.”
Also Read- Watch: Students take to Dhaka's streets demanding safe roads
Atiqul further added that a foot overbridge was supposed to be built at the intersection, but construction was delayed for various reasons.
“I give my solemn promise that a foot overbridge will be constructed at this intersection against all hurdles. Foot overbridges and underpasses will be built in every crucial area across Dhaka. The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) and the city corporation will jointly undertake the effort.”
Discussing the protesting students' ten-point demand, the DNCC mayor said: “I have the list of demands, and I will present them to the highest level of the government for consideration.
“Discussions have been held with the DMP commissioner to take strict legal action against vehicle owners and drivers if buses stop anywhere that is not a bus stop. We have also held discussions with the transportation owners.”
Also Read- Protesters demand capital punishment for drivers, bus torched
Mayor Atiqul said that those responsible for running vehicles without fitness requirements, on Dhaka roads, will face stern legal action.
On Tuesday morning, Abrar Ahmed Chowdhury—an honours first-year student of BUP’s International Relations Department—was run over and killed on the spot by a Suprovat Paribahan bus in the same area.
He was hit while crossing the road using a zebra crossing.
Abrar's death has sparked a massive protest by the students of his university. BUP students have since been joined by students of other educational institutions.
Although police impounded the bus and arrested its driver, the students later blockaded the busy road and demonstrated, throughout Tuesday, demanding justice for Abrar and capital punishment for those responsible for the death.
Protests broke out in Dhaka—and across the country in July last year—demanding safe roads and justice, after two students died in a road accident on Dhaka's Airport Road.
Shaheed Ramiz Uddin School and College students Diya Khanam Mim and Abdul Karim Rajib were killed—and several others were injured—when a bus of Jabal-e-Noor Paribahan ploughed into a group of students on July 29, 2018.