Protests Block Highway Over False Student Death Rumours

A major traffic disruption occurred on the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway in Chittagong’s Sitakunda sub-district on Tuesday afternoon, following a road accident that left two schoolgirls injured. The incident triggered widespread protests and a two-hour highway blockade by students and local residents, sparked by unverified rumours concerning the victims’ deaths.

Details of the Incident

The accident took place at approximately 16:30 BST in the Bashbaria Bazar area, specifically on the Dhaka-bound lane of the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway. The two victims, identified as students of Bashbaria High School, were walking home following the conclusion of the school day.

According to Witness accounts, a covered van struck the two girls from behind before crashing into a stack of bamboo stored by the roadside. Sampad Chandra Das, an assistant teacher at Bashbaria High School, confirmed that the school had closed at 16:30, after which the students began making their way home. The victims include one pupil from Year 7 and another from Year 8.

Medical Condition of the Victims

Following the collision, both students were immediately evacuated from the scene. While their names and identities were not officially released by the authorities at the time, their medical statuses were confirmed as follows:

• Year 7 Student: Sustained minor injuries. She received first aid treatment and was subsequently discharged to return home.

• Year 8 Student: Sustained severe injuries. Due to her critical condition, she was urgently transferred to Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) for specialised emergency medical care.

Public Backlash and Highway Blockade

Shortly after the accident, false rumours began circulating within the locality suggesting that both schoolgirls had succumbed to their injuries. In response, an angry crowd comprising fellow students and local residents converged on the highway to stage a protest.

Protesters alleged that illegal commercial structures erected alongside the highway were the primary catalyst for the accident. Specifically, local merchants had established unauthorised timber and bamboo shops on the roadside. The stock laid out for sale obstructed the footpath, forcing students and pedestrians onto the active lanes of the main highway.

During the demonstration, the crowd dragged commercial bamboo onto the middle of the highway and set it alight. Protesters chanted slogans demanding the immediate eviction of illegal shops and the establishment of safer road conditions. The demonstrators issued a strict three-hour ultimatum to local authorities to clear all illegal roadside structures.

Incident Summary and Timeline

Authorities’ Response and Traffic Situation

The blockade resulted in hundreds of passenger buses and freight vehicles becoming stranded on both sides of the motorway, causing significant delays and distress to commuters. Upon receiving reports of the disruption, personnel from the Sitakunda Police Station and the Bar Aulia Highway Police deployed to the scene.

Officers engaged with the demonstrators to clarify that the rumours of the students’ deaths were false and that the victims were undergoing medical treatment. Following negotiations, police successfully persuaded the students and residents to clear the carriageway at approximately 18:30.

M.A. Haq, the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Bar Aulia Highway Police Station, confirmed that the two students had been injured by a vehicle strike and that his team moved swiftly to manage the situation. He noted that whilst the protesters had been peacefully dispersed, it would take a considerable amount of time for the backlog of traffic to clear and for normal vehicle flow to resume entirely.