Anti-discrimination student leader beaten to death at Jhenaidah filling station

A leader of the anti-discrimination student movement has been beaten to death at a filling station in Jhenaidah, leading to subsequent vandalism of another filling station and arson on buses. In protest, transport workers blockaded the Jhenaidah-Dhaka highway. Police have detained three employees of the filling station overnight in connection with the murder.

The unrest erupted late Saturday night in the Arappur area of the city, where a filling station was vandalised. At the same time, miscreants set fire to three buses parked at the central bus terminal.

Transport workers blockaded the highway at the Jhenaidah bus terminal area from Sunday morning until 11:00 am, keeping the burned buses on the road, which halted vehicular movement on that route. Workers lifted the blockade after assurances from the administration.

According to police and local sources, around 9:00 pm on Saturday, Nirob Ahmed, 22, a young man, was beaten to death by employees of Taj Filling Station near the central bus terminal on the Jhenaidah-Dhaka highway. He was a resident of Badurgacha village in Kaliganj upazila, Jhenaidah. His father's name is Alimur Rahman.

Following news of Nirob's death, a group of people vandalised Srijani Filling Station in the Arappur area, owned by Harun-or-Rashid, who also owns Taj Filling Station. Later, in the dead of night, three buses parked at the terminal were set on fire.

Additional Superintendent of Police (Finance and Administration) Sheikh Billal Hossain said the vandalism at the Arappur filling station and the bus arson are linked to the student's murder. Cases will be filed after identifying those involved in the bus burning, and security in the terminal area will be strengthened.

Roknuzzaman Ranu, president of the district bus owners' association, said 15-20 miscreants set fire to three buses parked at the terminal at night. They must be quickly identified and arrested. He also stated that it would be impossible to run vehicles on the roads if security is not ensured.

Meanwhile, Harun-or-Rashid, owner of Taj Filling Station, claimed he was in Dhaka at the time of the incident and has no involvement. Yet, another filling station owned by him was vandalised and a bus was set on fire.