Protests over Abrar’s death continue

Protests triggered by the death of Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP) student Abrar Ahmed Chowdhury continued on Wednesday.

Students of private universities demonstrated in front of Bashundhara Residential Area’s main gate to force the authorities accept their demands, including maximum punishment of the bus driver who killed Abrar on Tuesday.

Other demands include checking papers of drivers on regular basis, making transport sector free from political influence, construction of foot overbridges, installing speed-breakers at risky points and stopping unfit vehicles from plying.

Witnesses said hundreds of students from BUP, North South University and Siddheshwari College occupied the street just after 9am, halting traffic on the busy road.

They shouted slogans demanding justice for Abrar, a first-year undergraduate international relations student.

Abrar, son of Brig Gen (retd) Arif Ahmed Chowdhury, died after being run over by ‘Suprovat Paribahan’ bus in front of the Bashundhara gate around 7:15am on Tuesday.

Students of various private universities blocked the road in front of Jamuna Future Park and protested. They also set afire the bus that ran over Abrar.

They also called for boycotting classes at all the educational institutions across the country on Wednesday and urged the students to take position in front of their respective institutions to express solidarity with the protesters’ demands.