Students and bus staff come to blows over half fare in Barishal

Barishal, 28 Jan  — A dispute over refusal of a half fare to a female student escalated into a violent clash between students of Government Brojomohun College, Barishal (BM) College and bus staff at Rupatali Bus Terminal of Barishal city on Tuesday evening, leaving three students injured.

The injured students have been identified as Sabbir Ahmed, Rafi, and Riaz, all from BM College. The incident caused widespread panic as agitated students set a bus on fire and vandalised several others.

Kotwali Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mizanur Rahman said police were deployed to the terminal to control the situation. “The situation is currently calm,” he said.

The trouble began earlier in the afternoon when a student of BM College requested a bus helper to allow half fare on the Barishal-Jhalakati route, a facility often provided to students. The helper allegedly misbehaved with the student, sparking protests.

BM College students soon gathered at the terminal, blocking roads in protest. “We were holding a peaceful demonstration, but the workers chased us with sticks and sharp weapons,” claimed Sabbir Ahmed, one of the injured students.

He added, “Three students were beaten up and we will continue our movement until those responsible are held accountable and half fare is ensured.”

In response, Rupatali Bus Owners’ Association President Zia Uddin Sikder condemned the incident, saying, “If the students hadn’t resorted to violence and vandalism, we could have resolved the matter through appropriate measures.”

Inspector Bidyut Chandra Dey of the Barishal Traffic Department said there were repeated chases and confrontations between students and bus workers. Police and army personnel were deployed to bring the situation under control.