Road-crash tragedies stalk his family

Munira Akter, mother of Rajshahi University student Mahmud Habib Himel, could not shed any tears seeing the coffin of her only son, but her blank eyes made everyone around her choke up.

The body of road accident victim Himel, a fourth-year student of graphic design, crafts and history of arts department, was taken to his home in Natore town for burial yesterday.

The life of Munira is full of tragedies.

Before her son, she lost her husband Ahsan Habib and mother-in-law Amena Bewa to road accidents.

"Munira's entire family has been devastated by road accidents," her uncle Abdus Sobur, a government employee, told The Daily Star at their house in Natore town's Kapuriapatty area.

He said a road crash left Munira and her husband injured in Bogura's Sherpur four years ago. Munira survived, but her husband Habib died from injuries a year later.

The year when her husband died, another road accident claimed the life of her mother-in-law.

"She became a psychiatric patient after her husband's death. Now, we don't know how we will console her," said Sobur.

While crossing a construction site near Martyred Prof Habibur Rahman Hall on Tuesday night, a truck hit Himel's motorcycle and ran over his head, killing him on the spot.

Another fourth-year student, Rayhan Rimel, of ceramics and sculpture department, was also injured in the accident.

Angry students went berserk on the campus torching five vehicles and damaging properties in and outside the campus.

Yesterday, Himel was buried at Garikhana central graveyard in Natore town after Zohar prayers.

Earlier, his body was kept in front of the Fine Arts Building for teachers and students to pay homage before his namaz-e-janaza on the RU campus.

Later, RU VC Prof Golam Sabbir Sattar with a number of administrative officers went to Natore to hand over the body to Himel's family.

The university authorities also handed over a cheque of Tk 5 lakh to his family as financial support.

The authorities would bear all medical costs of the injured student, said Director of Public Relations Office Prof Pradip Kumar Panday.

In another development, the VC sat in a meeting with students on Sabash Bangladesh premises in the afternoon.

Students there raised a five-point demand. VC Prof Sattar assured them of fulfilling their demands.

After the meeting, the VC told reports that the under-construction building and the street where Himel was killed would be named after him.

A structure will be built in memory of Himel.

The students demanded Tk 5 crore as compensation, and the VC said they would provide Himel's family with money as per the necessity.

The VC said the construction work would be suspended until streets inside campus are repaired and smooth movement of students on the campus is ensured.

Meanwhile, police arrested the truck driver, Md Titu, 35, in Balia area of Rajshahi city in the afternoon, SM Masud Parvez, officer-in-charge of Kashiadanga Police Station, told the Daily Star.

The arrest was made after a case was filed against the driver and the helper of the truck with Motihar Police Station, said OC Anwar Ali.

In another incident, RU acting proctor Leaket Ali was removed from his post. Ashabul Haque, professor of RU's mathematics department, was made the new proctor.

Prof Salim Reza Newton said, "In the name of development work, trees have been cut down, soil has been dug and good roads have been destroyed. Nobody cares for anyone."

Prof Kazi Zahidur Rahman said he himself trembled many times while speedy trucks carrying construction materials went past him.

"I talked to the VC Sir about it several weeks ago, but nothing changed. Perhaps the contractors were more powerful than the VC," he said.

A student said she didn't want the development work that claimed the lives of students.