‘Principal obstructing me from joining road safety protest’

Kaniz Fatema Sejuti, a known face of road safety protest in Rampura and a student of the Dakhin Banasree Model High School and College today alleged that the principal of the school is obstructing her from joining the movement.

"The principal called me and my father to the school today and told me that our demands are logical and that the government has agreed to it. He told me not to join the protest anymore," Sejuti told The Daily Star this evening.

"He [the principal] told that if police arrest my father, by putting a gun…What would we do, do we have that sort of backup? I said, my father is not a criminal, why would police arrest him?" Asked the student.

"The principal then said if I have any wish to join politics, he would try to get me involved with Chhatra League through his channel. I told him that I have no wish to join any political party. I am taking part in a logical movement for safe roads," said Sejuti.

The school student could not join today's protest as she had to be at the school to meet the principal.

When this correspondent called Alam Sarder, acting principal of the institution, he said only called Sejuti's father to check their background.

"What she said is not true. If they protest unnecessarily on roads even after the government agreed to their demands, I, as a teacher, can talk to them. Our final exam is over. I wanted to know if our students are protesting on roads," he said refuting other allegations.

The students hit the street after bus fares went up lately following a hike in diesel prices. The demonstration got bigger and called for road safety after two students were killed in the capital by recklessly driven vehicles.

After SSC candidate Mainuddin was run over by a bus in Rampura on November 29, the protest gained momentum and has been taking place in Rampura regularly since then.