The students of Barisal University (BU) on Friday resumed their protest by blocking the Barisal-Dhaka highway over Tuesday’s attack on their fellows by transport workers. However, they later moved away from the highway and said it would remain open till 8am on Saturday.
The agitating students said they resumed the demonstration as the university authorities did not name any accused in the case filed over the attack at the university hostel that left 25 students injured.
BU Registrar Dr Mohsinuddin filed the case with Kotwali police station on Thursday night, confirmed Dr Subrata Kumar Das, proctor of the university.
Protesting students of Barisal University block Dhaka-Barisal highway, on Friday, February 19, 2021, resuming their protest against local transport workers who attacked and injured students of the university earlier in the week | Dhaka Tribune
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, the students alleged that a group of transport workers led by Kawsar Hossain Shipon, the president of Barisal-Patuakhali Minibus Owners Association, accompanied by some Chhatra League members carried out the attack.
One of the protesting students, Mahamudul Islam Tamal said: "Our 48-hour ultimatum ended at 5pm on Friday. As none of the accused is arrested yet, we are announcing a fresh program after a discussion among the students."
The agitating students demanded the inclusion of the name of the accused as well as arresting them immediately.
Barisal Kotwali police station Officer-in-Charge (Investigation) Asaduzzaman said no names were mentioned in the case.
Also Read - Barisal University students protest against attack on fellows
Agitated students of Barisal University bring out a torch procession and walk around the campus on Friday, February 19, 2021, in protest of the attack in their fellow students by local transport workers earlier in the week | Dhaka Tribune
"We are investigating and trying to nab the attackers whether their names were quoted in the first information report (FIR) or not," he said.
However, none of the attackers was detained till the filing of this report around 8pm.
The protesting students later cleared out of the highway and said they road will remain open till 8am on Saturday.
They also brought out a torch procession at around 6:30pm on Friday and marched around the university campus and surrounding areas.
Khorshed Alam, general secretary of the Barisal University Teachers' Association, said they were in constant touch with police.
On Tuesday, two students of the university were assaulted by few staffers of Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) at BRTC bus counter in the Rupatoli area of the city.
In protest, some students of the university blocked the bus terminal for two hours. They dispersed only after police arrested one BRTC employee, identified as Rafique, in connection with the attack.
In retaliation, the transport workers armed with sticks barged into a university hostel and attacked a student, identified as Mahmudul Hasan Tomal, on Tuesday night.
As the news of the attack spread on social media, students from other hostels of the university rushed to the spot to save Tomal. The transport workers attacked Tomal's rescuers too, leaving them injured.
