Students give 48 hrs ultimatum for govt circular on half-fares
Some Dhaka College students attacked students protesting in the city and allegedly picked up a protester
Students protesting for half-fares in Dhaka, that is, a 50% fare discount on public transports, have postponed their movement after giving a 48-hour ultimatum to the government to issue a notification.
"We want a circular to be issued as soon as possible, setting a 50% discounted half-fare for students as the reckless hike in bus fares is an additional burden on students. Please meet our demand, otherwise, we will continue our protest," said a student who claimed himself as "chief coordinator" of the movement by students of seven colleges.
By blocking roads, students of Dhaka College, Dhaka City College and Dhanmondi Ideal College protested near Science Lab intersection in the capital from 12 noon on Tuesday.
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Apart from half-fares, the protesting students also demanded harassment of female students and women on public transport must be stopped.
Later, a group of Dhaka College students allegedly attacked the student protest with sticks around 1:30pm, witnesses said.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Ramna Division Deputy Commissioner Sazzadur Rahman said there is an allegation that a student of Dhanmondi Ideal College was picked up and abducted to Dhaka College.
Later, DMP New Market Zone Additional Deputy Commissioner Shahen Shah told The Business Standard that the authorities of Dhaka College and Ideal College had negotiated and settled the issue.
In the afternoon, Murad Hassan, state minister for Information and Broadcasting, expressed solidarity with the ongoing student movement for half-fares on public transport.
In a statement, he said the ongoing student movement is logical, valid and he would talk to the authorities regarding it.
