Traffic movement in Mirpur’s Kalshi was halted for nearly four hours yesterday as locals blockaded the roads demanding construction of speed-breakers in the area and protesting Wednesday’s accident that left a student dead.
Locals blockaded the road in front of ECB intersection of Matikata from 10:30am and continued their demonstration till 2:30pm. The protesters lifted the blockade after police high officials assured them of building speed-breakers in the area.
On Wednesday, Sharmin Akther, 18, was critically injured after a speedy vehicle hit her in front of Blue Moon restaurant in the area. She was taken to Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in critical condition where she succumbed to her injuries.
Soon after incident, locals blockaded the road for two hours in the evening but started their demonstrations yesterday morning again.
Hailing from Brahmanbaria, Sharmin used to live in west Manikdi of the capital. She received golden A-plus from Cantonment Public School and College this year. According to her family, she was a first year honours student of Government Titumir College.
Nure Sadia, sister of Sharmin, said her sister was out for shopping with a friend when the incident occurred. Quoting Sharmin’s friend, Sadia said vehicle did not stop after hitting Sharmin but dragged her along the road under the wheels.
Jashimuddin, a local of the area, said vehicles operate recklessly in the area as there was no speed-breaker on the road. People cross the road putting their life at risk, so it was high time to construct speed-breakers or else more lives would be lost in such accidents, he added.
Cantonment Division Assistant Commissioner of Police Kudrat-e-Khuda said: “The blockade created huge tailback in the area but we managed to convince the locals to withdraw their programme after giving them assurance of construction of speed-breakers in the area following talks with authorities in the Army.”
Regarding the accident, Moniruzzaman, inspector of Cantonment police station, said they were yet to seize the vehicle and no case was filed by the family as of now.
However, they are trying to arrest the driver and seize the vehicle, he added.
