NN Online:
Students organised a protest rally on Wednesday at the city’s Rampura Bridge, calling for justice in the murders of two students from East West University (EWU) and the American International University (AIUB).
During the rally, the students set a 24-hour ultimatum for the arrest of the killers. They warned of tougher protests on the streets if their demands were not met within the given time frame.
The protest was held on Wednesday afternoon under the banner of Private University Students Alliance of Bangladesh.
Speakers at the rally said that if the killers are not brought to justice within 24 hours, they would resort to more intense street protests. They emphasised that students and citizens involved in the movement are becoming victims of targeted killings. The rally also called for the formation of an investigation committee to identify those responsible, with a demand for the committee to submit a report within the next seven days.
Following the rally, students began a torch procession from in front of East West University at around 5:45pm. The procession moved through Rampura Bridge and reached BRAC University in Merul Badda. The march then turned around and returned to the front of East West University which ended at 6:40pm.
On December 12, Tajbir Hossain Shihan – a student of East West University – was brutally hacked to death by assailants in Kaliakoir, Gazipur.
On the same day, Mohammad Simanto, a student of the American International University, was stabbed by a mugger in Narayanganj. He succumbed to his injuries two days later, on December 14, while receiving treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
The protesting students said that in addition to seeking justice for the two murdered students, they are also demanding enhanced safety for students of private universities and for those involved in the student movements across the country.
During the rally, Nazifa Jannat, a student of East West University, expressed concerns about the lack of security for students across the country. She highlighted that students have been receiving threats of abduction in various places and criticised the law enforcement agencies for failing to ensure their safety. She declared that students will continue their protest until their safety is guaranteed and justice is served for the two murdered students.
