Road mishap sparks protest

Locals yesterday blocked the Rajshahi-Naogaon highway at Nawdapara in the Rajshahi city for three hours following an accident that left a schoolboy seriously injured.
The schoolboy, Sumon, a class VI student of Nawdapara Pilot High School, was admitted to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH).
Witnesses said a Rajshahi-bound passenger bus hit Sumon from behind in front of the school at around 9:30am. People rescued Sumon and sent him to the RMCH Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.
As a rumour spread in the area that Sumon died in a road accident, locals came out of their houses and damaged three buses, two tempos and trucks on the highway. They also put up barricades on the road, disrupting traffic for three hours from 11:00am.
On information, Rajshahi City Corporation panel mayor-1 Sariful Islam Babu and police officials came to the spot and assured the agitating people of taking action against the bus driver.