Kamal urges students to withdraw protests

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan urged the students to stop the ongoing protests and return to normalcy as their demands have been taken into consideration for implementation.

He said drivers of the killer buses have been arrested, while the route permit and registration of Jabal-e-Noor Paribahan has been cancelled, BSS reported.

“The government will ensure toughest punishment against the offenders as per the law,” he reaffirmed.

The home minister also asserted that vehicles without licenses and route-permit would not be allowed to ply on the roads and highways. Law enforcement authorities have been asked to take stern action against such vehicles, he added.

The home minister made the remarks after an emergency meeting with the representatives of transport owners and workers. The meeting was held due to the ongoing protests by students after the death of two of their peers in a road accident on Airport road last Sunday.

Shipping minister Shahjahan Khan, Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu, state minister for LGRD Md Mashiur Rahman Ranga, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr. Mohammad Javed Patwary, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) commissioner Md Assaduzzaman Mia, Bangladesh Road Transport Association secretary general Khandker Enayet Ullah, Bangladesh Bus-Truck Owners’ Association chairman Faruk Talukder Sohel, Bangladesh Truck and Covered-Van Association general secretary Md Rustom Ali Khan and Bangladesh Road Transport Workers’ Federation general secretary Osman Ali and organizing secretary Mokhlesur Rahman were present at the meeting.

The meeting decided to take effective steps for implementation of the decisions taken in line with the five directives of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to stop road accidents.

Referring to the protesters, the Home Minister said, “The demands of the students are logical. We’re also in great sorrow over the death of the two students.”

The meeting was informed that 309 vehicles were vandalised and eight of them were torched. Students were not involved in vandalizing these vehicles, the meeting said, adding that vested groups were behind it.

“Vested groups can instigate to divert the protest into another direction if the movement continues for a long time. So, we urge the students to go back to their classes,” the minister said.

Replying to a question, he said the Prime Minister also wants that the students take themselves off the street and there is normalcy.