Jhenaidah-Dhaka highway blocked after student leader's alleged killing at filling station

Transport workers blocked the Jhenaidah-Dhaka highway for several hours today (8 March) in protest against the arson of three buses and the vandalism of a filling station, following the death of a leader of the Students Against Discrimination (SAD) platform.

The unrest was sparked by the death of Nirab Ahmed, 22, a former executive member of the platform's Jhenaidah unit, who was allegedly beaten to death by employees of the Taj Filling Station in the Central Bus Terminal area at around 9pm yesterday (7 March).

In the wake of the alleged killing, agitated protesters reportedly affiliated with the SAD, targeted the property of the filling station owner, vandalising another facility, Srijani Filling Station, in the Arappur area and setting fire to three parked coaches at the terminal.

Jhenaidah's Additional Superintendent of Police Sheikh Billal Hossain confirmed that the vandalism and the burning of the buses were directly linked to the student leader's death, reports Prothom Alo.

Meanwhile, the Jhenaidah-Dhaka highway remained choked from this morning until 11am as bus workers placed the charred remains of the vehicles across the road, halting all traffic on the Dhaka-Faridpur route.

The blockade caused immense suffering to commuters before it was eventually lifted following assurances of legal action and increased terminal security from the local administration.

District Bus Owners' Association President Rokonuzzaman Ranu demanded the immediate identification and arrest of the 15 to 20 individuals involved in the arson.

Police have already taken three employees of Taj Filling Station into custody. The owner, Harun or Rashid, claimed he was in Dhaka during the incident and denied any involvement, despite the retaliatory attacks on his businesses.