Students of Jahangirnagar University (JU) have detained at least 27 buses of the Rajdhani Paribahan fleet on the Dhaka-Aricha Highway. The protest began on Wednesday evening, December 11, in response to allegations of misconduct by a bus assistant toward a female student. The students blocked buses traveling on the Aricha-bound lane, demanding accountability for the incident.

The incident reportedly occurred earlier that afternoon when Shahamina Diti, a student of the Comparative Literature and Culture Institute’s 49th batch, boarded a Rajdhani Paribahan bus (registration number Dhaka Metro-B-123044) from the university’s Joy Bangla gate. According to Diti, the bus assistant behaved rudely towards her shortly after she boarded.

When Diti attempted to pay her fare with a half-price student ticket of 5 Taka, the assistant refused to accept it. Despite later paying the full fare of 10 Taka, the assistant continued to make disparaging remarks. The situation escalated when the bus was stopped without cause near the Nabinagar Smritishoudho area. When Diti requested that the bus not be halted unnecessarily, the assistant reportedly continued his inappropriate behavior.

Distressed by the incident, Diti informed her friends, who mobilized in protest. They began stopping Rajdhani Paribahan buses on the highway and forcing them to pull over.

Eyewitnesses reported that as the students detained the buses, one driver attempted to bypass them, resulting in a student being injured. The students then caught the driver and physically assaulted him in retaliation.

By Thursday evening, the protest was still ongoing. Students gathered near the university’s main gate, stopping Rajdhani Paribahan buses and seizing their keys. Passengers were asked to disembark, leaving many stranded.

Anisur Rahman, a passenger removed from one of the buses, expressed his frustration, saying, “I travel daily between Mirpur and Kaliakoir, and these student protests frequently disrupt the journey. No one seems to care about the difficulties faced by the passengers.”

University authorities confirmed the details of the incident. Mohammad Abu Sayeed Zinnah, Assistant Registrar of the university’s security section, stated, “A female student was traveling from the Joy Bangla gate to the Palli Bidyut area on a Rajdhani Paribahan bus. During this time, the assistant misbehaved with her. In response, her peers began detaining buses. We have communicated with the bus company, and their representatives are on their way to discuss the matter with us.”

The detained buses were lined up along one side of the highway, causing significant disruption to traffic and inconvenience to passengers. The students remained steadfast in their protest, demanding justice for their peer and stricter accountability for public transport staff.

The incident highlights ongoing concerns regarding safety and misconduct on public transportation in Bangladesh. While student protests often draw attention to these issues, they also raise questions about the broader impact of such actions on commuters and traffic flow.

University authorities and the transport company are expected to engage in discussions to resolve the matter. However, students have emphasized that their protests will continue until they receive a satisfactory resolution, including assurances of improved safety measures for passengers, particularly women, on public transport.

This protest adds to a growing number of demonstrations across the country in recent years, where students have taken to the streets to demand better enforcement of laws and accountability in the transport sector. The ongoing tensions reflect the broader challenges faced by the public in ensuring safety and dignity during daily commutes.