Buet students' protest on

Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) students continued their demonstrations yesterday, by blocking roads on the campus, in protest against the death of the fresher, Khandaker Khanjahan Samrat.
Samrat, a first year mechanical engineering student of Buet, was crushed under the wheels of a bus at Azimpur in the capital Thursday morning that triggered a violent student protest in the area.
Angry students held rally and placed a nine-point demand including filing of a case by Buet authorities against the staff of the killer bus and the bus company to secure compensation for the victim's family.
Buet authorities set up an iron-barricade at one of the main entrances to campus at Palashi intersection in order to stop entry of heavy vehicles.
"We have declared mourning at the university tomorrow [today]," said Vice-Chancellor Prof AMM Shafiullah.
The Vice-Chancellor also said they would talk to the victim's family about realising compensation from the authorities of killer bus company after they recover from the primary shock.
Protesting the death, teachers and students will form a human chain at the main auditorium premises of the university today and no classes will be held after 1:00pm, the VC added.
Students from another rally at Shaheed Minar on the campus demanded Buet authorities pay compensation to the victim's family and effective measures be taken immediately to stop heavy vehicles movement on the campus roads.
They also demanded a permanent gate after the name of Samrat and a traffic booth at Palashi intersection to control vehicular access to campus.
After the rally, students brought out a silent procession in the campus and staged a sit-in programme on the main road near Shaheed Minar.
To press home their demand, students will bring out a procession and submit a memorandum to Vice-chancellor at noon today.
A Milad mahfil will also be held for the salvation of the departed soul at Buet central mosque after Asr prayer tomorrow.
Movements of vehicles from Nilkhet intersection to Lalbagh remained stopped since morning as police set up barricades at the entry points to ward off further trouble.
Meanwhile, the students damaged a bus and a truck near Palashi intersection last night.
Witnesses said around one hundred students of Buet, who were obstructing movement of vehicles between Palashi and Chankharpool, damaged a bus of Bihanga Paribahan and a truck near Palashi around 10:00pm.
However, police later brought the situation under control.