Barishal University students block Dhaka–Kuakata highway

Students of Barishal University (BU) staged protests and blocked the Dhaka–Kuakata highway, demanding safer roads and better security for students, following the death of a fellow student in a road accident.

The protests began around 8 PM on Sunday, when students blocked the highway in front of the university. Earlier, a three-wheeler had collided head-on with a BRTC bus near the Dapdapia bridge adjacent to the university campus, leaving one university student critically injured. When news of the student's death spread, the campus erupted in fury.

The blockade created long queues of vehicles on both sides of the highway, causing severe hardship for ordinary commuters.

The deceased student has been identified as Yasin Arafat, a student of the 2023–24 academic session in the Bengali Department at Barishal University. He hailed from the Thakurgaon district. After the accident, he was sent to Dhaka in critical condition for advanced medical treatment. His death was later confirmed by Zahid Ahnaf, former president of the Barishal University Journalists' Association.

In the same accident, a passenger named Rifat, who was travelling in the three-wheeler, died at the scene. Four others were seriously injured.

After the news spread, students took to the highway and began demonstrating. During the protest, they put forward a four-point demand. The demands include: repairing the highway within the next 15 days, introducing a round‑the‑clock bus service from Barishal University to Rupatoli, and constructing and opening pavements on both sides of the campus.

Rajib, a student of the Bengali Department participating in the protest, said, "The agitation will continue until all our demands are met. We want these demands implemented quickly."

Another student, Bhumika Sarker, added, "University students had previously raised demands for road repairs and other issues, but those were never addressed. The history of Barishal University shows that no demand is fulfilled until blood is shed."

Regarding the student movement, Dr. Gazi Mohammad Sakhawat Hossain, Assistant Proctor of the university, said that they would take steps to implement the students' legitimate demands as soon as possible. He added that discussions were underway with the students to resolve the issues quickly.

Ismail Hossain, Officer-in-Charge of the Port Police Station under Barishal Metropolitan Police, said that additional police personnel had been deployed in front of the university.