Dhaka-Rajshahi highway blocked over student's death

Local residents have blocked and lit fires along the Rajshahi-Dhaka highway in the Binodpur area adjacent to the university after the death of a Rajshahi College student in a reported accident on the Rajshahi University (RU) campus.

The blockade began at 7pm on Friday (24 January) and continued until 8:45pm, calling for a proper investigation into the incident and the arrest of anyone responsible.

They also announced that they will block the highway from 11am on Saturday (25 January).

The deceased was identified as Shimul Shihab, a first-year student of the Political Science Department of Rajshahi College, from the Meherchandi Budhpara area of Rajshahi city.

RU Proctor Prof Mahbubur Rahman said Shimul was standing behind the university's Third Science Building with a girl when the assistant proctor was conducting a regular patrol on the campus in the university proctor's car.

"During the patrol, we saw a boy and a girl standing behind the building with a bike. They tried to escape hastily on their bike after seeing the proctor's car," Mahbubur said.

"Construction work was ongoing on the road they were using to flee. There were rods on the road. An accident occurred while they were passing over the rod. The boy fell on the road and lost consciousness," he added.

The proctor said students were playing badminton in the field nearby. Seeing the bike fall, they came forward. The proctor's patrol car behind also went there. Finding the boy unconscious, they first took him to the university medical center and later to RMCH by ambulance, where the doctors on duty declared him dead.

However, Shimul's family and the protesters alleged that he was murdered on the RU campus.

A three-member inquiry committee has been formed with the university's Pro Vice-Chancellor (Administration) Prof Mohammad Main Uddin as the convener over Shimul's death.

The committee has been asked to submit a report soon.