Students protest continues demanding ‘nationwide half bus fare’

Students from various schools and colleges on Wednesday blocked Rampura Bridge again in protest of the death of SSC candidate Mainuddin Islam Durjoy in a road accident.

They raised 11-point demands, including justice for the incident and nationwide half bus fare for students in public transports.

As per the students, they would remain on the road until their 11-point demands are met.

Students’ 11-point demands include:

1. All those involved for the deaths of Notre Dame College student Nayeem Hasan and Rampura Ekramunnessa High School student Mainuddin Islam Durjoy must be brought to justice. Families of the victims must be properly compensated. Foot-bridges must be constructed for the pedestrian crossing in the Gulistan and Rampura bridges area.

2. Half bus fare for students must be applicable for public transport all over the country. And the half fare must be applicable throughout the day. The number of BRTC buses have to be increased on all routes.

3. Ensured free movement for students and women in public transport and the staff of the transports must behave courteously.

4. Action have to be taken against the bus owners, drivers and employers of the vehicles without fitness and license.

5. The number of traffic police should be increased on busy roads. Besides, traffic lights and zebra crossings should be ensured. Effective measures have to be taken to control bribery and corruption of traffic police.

6. To stop reckless competition among buses, one bus company should be assigned to a single route, and revenue should be distributed equally among all transport owners according to their share.

7. Identity cards and appointment letters have to be ensured for transport workers. Contract-based appointments for transport workers have to be canceled. The entire transport system must be streamlined with a ticket and counter basis.

8. The working hours for drivers should not extend more than 6 hours at a stretch. There should be two drivers and two assistants for each bus.

9. The road transport law needs to be reformed, and its implementation must be ensured.

10. Trucks, garbage trucks, and other heavy vehicles should be allowed to operate from 12:00 am to 5:00 am.

11. Effective initiatives must be taken across society to remove drug addiction. Drivers and assistants should be subjected to random drug tests.

ARR