People suffer as protests choke key Dhaka streets

Protests by Notre Dame College students and readymade garment workers in Dhaka on Wednesday halted traffic movement in some key areas, intensifying public suffering in a city notorious for its traffic jams.

Police said the gridlock lasted till the evening.

Notre Dame students protested in Gulistan after one of their fellows was run over by a garbage truck of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC). Meanwhile, workers of several garment factories blocked streets in Mirpur and Pragati Sarani, demanding an increase in wages and arrears. 

Second-year student Nayeem Hasan, 17, was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), but doctors pronounced him dead, triggering protests by his fellows.

The demonstrators tried to enter the city corporation building, but failed and ended up demonstrating in front of the Nagar Bhaban seeking justice. 

They demanded punishment for the truck driver, compensation for the family, and ensuring road safety. 

Abdullah Al Mamun, a witness, said the DSCC garbage truck hit Nayeem while he was going to college. The incident took place near Gulistan Muktijodda Complex around 11:45am. Paltan police arrested driver Rasel Khan and seized the truck. 

RMG workers protest

Meanwhile, RMG workers blocked streets at Mirpur-10, demanding an increase in wages. They halted traffic movement for around 90 minutes from 9am before police dispersed them. 

This caused massive traffic congestion in the surrounding areas.

Hundreds of workers from different factories in the area joined the demonstration. Workers were seen setting fire to plastic on road dividers and vandalising the local Bangladesh Awami Sechchasebak League unit office.

Besides, workers from Waymart Apparels Limited at Pragati Sarani (Kuril Bishwa Road) blocked the streets demanding arrears in the morning. 

Md Munibur Rahman, an additional commissioner (traffic) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, told The Business Post