Barishal at standstill as both parties block roads

Barishal University students yesterday staged demonstrations and blocked roads in the city, demanding immediate arrest of all transport workers accused in a case filed for attacking their fellows.

Meanwhile, transport workers blockaded road in Rupatoli Chaumatha area around 12pm, seeking release of two of their fellow workers.

The blockades snapped road communications between Barishal and other southern districts including Jhalakathi, Pirojpur, Barguna, Patuakhali and Bhola all the day long.

Many passengers were seen walking to their destinations; many carrying their baggage and goods on their shoulders.

Students stayed on Barishal-Kuakata highway in front of the university around 9:30am, also demanding that the case be recorded as an attempted murder case.

Mahamudul Islam Tamal, an agitating student, told The Daily Star, "Transport workers snatched mobile phones and wallets from over 50 students... We want immediate recovery of those."

"Police have arrested two transport workers. But the main accused are still at large," Tamal said. "We will continue our movement until our demands are met."

The students withdrew their blockade around 6pm and postponed the agitation till today, on the occasion of International Mother Language Day.

They would announce the next course of action later, said Tamal.

On the other hand, transport workers said police arrested their fellow workers unjustly. "We demand their release," said Khorshed Alam, a front liner of their agitation.

Transport workers also withdrew their blockade almost at the same time but transport operation did not begin till writing of this report at 7pm.

Police said they have arrested two transport workers in connection with it.

"We have kept raiding different spots to arrest other accused," said Md Nurul Islam, officer-in-charge (OC) of Kotwali Model Police Station in Barishal.

On February 16, two BU students and transport workers altercated at BRTC bus counter at the city's Rupatoli. At one stage, the workers stabbed a student.

When the news spread on the BU campus, students vandalised a BRTC bus counter and blocked Barishal-Kuakata regional highway for two hours.

The incident caused anger among transport workers who attacked student dorms of BU in Rupatali on February 17, leaving at least 25 students injured.

On February 18, the university registrar filed a case against the unidentified miscreants with the police station.