Tejgaon College students block Farmgate, causing severe traffic congestion

Students of the Tejgaon College are staging a protest by blocking the Farmgate intersection in the capital, demanding justice over the killing of a fellow student.

Due to the blockade, traffic movement has come to a halt at the Farmgate intersection and surrounding roads, leading to severe congestion.

Today is Sunday, the first working day of the week. As a result of the blockade on this key thoroughfare of the capital, office-goers and general commuters are facing extreme disruption.

Police and eyewitnesses said that around 9:45 am, several hundred students took positions at the Farmgate intersection and nearby roads.

Chanting slogans, the students sat down on the road. Their presence brought all types of vehicular movement to a standstill.

The blockade and protest created long tailbacks on roads in and around Farmgate, Karwan Bazar, Tejgaon and Panthapath areas of the capital. Many commuters were seen getting off vehicles and walking to their destinations.

Abu Hena Mostafa Kamal, senior sub-editor at Prothom Alo, was also stranded due to the blockade. He said he left Mohammadpur for Karwan Bazar at 9:10 am. The CNG-run auto-rickshaw carrying him got stuck at Khamarbari area.

The vehicle later diverted towards Indira Road, where it remained trapped in heavy congestion for a long time. Eventually, he walked to Karwan Bazar and reached office at 10:50 am. The journey took 1 hour and 40 minutes, whereas it usually takes about 30 minutes.

Police said that in December last year, a clash broke out between two groups at the Tejgaon College hostel. Sakibul Hasan Rana, 18, a second-year student of higher secondary level at the college, was seriously injured in the incident.

Shakinbul died four days later, on 10 December, while undergoing treatment. Students had taken to the streets demanding justice over the incident before and have done so again today.

Officer-in-charge of Tejgaon police station, Kaisainu, told Prothom Alo that students of the Tejgaon College have blocked the roads demanding justice for the killing of their fellow student. Police have arrived at the spot and are trying to bring the situation under control.