Female student dies in Barishal bus crash triggering highway blockade

The students set fire to the bus protesting the accident

Barishal, Oct 31 - A speeding bus has crushed a university student to death triggering a blockade on Dhaka-Barishal highway for several hours.

The deceased Maisha Fauzia Mim, a student at the University of Barishal, was crossing a road near Gate 1 of the university when the accident occurred on Wednesday night, police and a witness said.

Her classmate Bhumika Sarkar said, the accident took place around 8 pm.

The bus of Narayanganj Paribahan was travelling from Patuakhali to Dhaka via Barishal.

Following the incident, university students blocked the Dhaka-Barishal highway disrupting traffic until nearly 2:00 am. The students also set the bus involved in the accident on fire.

Students are demanding that the driver, the supervisor, and the helper of the bus be apprehended and brought to justice. They also called for setting a speed limit on the road beside the university and enhance other safety measures.

Rafiq-ul-Islam, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Bandar Police Station, confirmed the incident.

The blockade resulted traffic congestion with hundreds of passenger buses stranded on both sides of the highway, added the OC.

Efforts are on to arrest the driver, who fled the scene immediately following the accident, he added.-UNB