Human chain seeks justice for Fatima, Afsar

Several thousand students, teachers, guardians and locals took to the street on Dhaka-Mawa Highway yesterday, demanding safe roads and capital punishment for the truck driver and his helper responsible for the death of siblings Fatima and Afsar in a road accident four days back.

Slogans of “We want justice” rang in the air, as demonstrators formed a human chain for about two hours, and blockaded Dhaka-Mawa Highway for 30 minutes.

Students of 20 local schools, colleges and madrasas joined the event, said locals.

Shahjamal, officer-in-charge of South Keraniganj Police Station, said they were trying their best to arrest the culprits.

“I pray that no parent has to lose their children so early like I did,” said victims' father Shamsul Alam Dalim, who was at the event despite being injured in Monday's accident. He demanded that trucks be banned on the highway from 8am to 8pm.

Bogdad Molla, a cousin of the deceased, said since rickshaws and CNG auto-rickshaws are not allowed on the highway, people are dependent on motorbikes, and the road has become very risky for locals.

Fatima Afrin, 12, and Afsar Hossain, 10 -- were killed after a truck rear-ended the motorcycle they were on, in South Keraniganj on Dhaka-Mawa highway on Monday.