Tejgaon College students lift Farmgate blockade after assurances from police, authorities

Tejgaon College students, who earlier blocked Dhaka's Farmgate intersection demanding justice over the death of a fellow student, have withdrawn from the road following assurances from police and college authorities.

Confirming the development, Tejgaon Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Kyashainu Marma told The Business Standard, "Students demanded justice over the killing of their classmate. Police will certainly investigate the matter and bring those involved under the law. After we assured them of this, they withdrew from the road. They also had some issues related to the college, and the authorities have agreed to address those as well."

The demonstration began around 10am today (11 December), with students occupying the intersection, setting fire on the road, and chanting slogans. Photo: Collected

Earlier, students of Tejgaon College had blocked the Farmgate intersection in Dhaka, protesting the death of a fellow student who succumbed to injuries allegedly inflicted during a clash inside the college dormitory.

The demonstration began around 10am today (11 December), with students occupying the intersection, setting fire on the road, and chanting slogans. The blockade brought traffic to a standstill in the busy Farmgate area, causing severe congestion in adjacent streets. Traffic police attempted to ease movement by diverting vehicles to alternative routes.

Tejgaon College student succumbs to injuries 4 days after dormitory clash

Protesting students said three students were injured during a clash between two factions of the Chhatra Dal inside the Tejgaon College dormitory on 6 December over drug use. Among them, 12th-grade science student Sakibul Hasan Rana — described by peers as a "brilliant student" — was admitted to the ICU of Prashanti Hospital Limited in Malibagh and died around 12:30pm on yesterday (10 December) after four days of treatment. However, his body was taken to the family home in Sreepur, Gazipur, without a post-mortem examination.

"We believe our meritorious classmate, Sakibul Hasan Rana, was killed through political violence. Now there is an attempt to cover up the incident," protesters alleged. "We were not even allowed to hold his funeral prayer on the college premises."

Md Farhan, a second-year science student and classmate of the deceased, claimed, "A faction of the Chhatra Dal at Tejgaon College dormitory was consuming drugs. When Sakibul protested, they tortured and killed him."

Confirming the development, Anish Kirtaniya, assistant commissioner of the DMP's Traffic Tejgaon Zone, said, "Students of Tejgaon College blocked Farmgate at around 10:30am. The shutdown has caused severe gridlock on adjacent roads. We are trying to manage traffic through diversions."

A murder case was filed by the hall superintendent of the Tejgaon College dormitory, Md Zahirul Islam with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station on 10 December after Rana's death.  

Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md Monirul Islam Monir told The Business Standard, "The body was transported to Sreepur without informing the police. We contacted Sreepur and Gazipur police to bring the body back, but the family is refusing. The student's father lives in Malaysia. The family has said they will decide on the case once he arrives."

He added that no case had been filed in the four days following the fight. "We repeatedly asked the college principal and hall superintendent to lodge a case. Today we summoned the hall superintendent and had the case filed. Later we learned the student had died and the family had taken the body."

According to the case statement, the clash broke out inside the college dormitory after a dispute over smoking cigarettes, leading to a confrontation between outsiders and a group of residential students.

Meanwhile, commuters suffered heavily due to the demonstration. Rummana Ferdous, a private sector employee, said, "I left for my office from Mohammadpur to Eskaton but could not even pass Asad Gate in almost an hour. I understand the reason behind the protests might be valid, but causing such suffering to city dwellers is very unwarranted."