Demonstrating students attacked in Jhigatola, gunshots fired

A group of youths swooped on the demonstrating students in Jhigatola area of the city on Saturday, witnesses said.

The witnesses said some 25-30 men wearing helmets launched the attack on the students who were controlling traffic at Jhigatola intersection around 2:00pm.

They also fired gunshots. Dozens of students were injured. 

Earlier, hundreds of students of different educational institutions demanding safety of the road thronged Jhigatola from the morning. They were peacefully demonstrating and controlling the traffic in the area.

At one point, the attackers with sticks in their hands swoop on the students and beat up some of the students in front of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) gate. The border guard members tried to protect the students and stop the attackers.The students and the attackers then pelted brick chips to each other.

Students started to gather in different streets of the capital for the seventh consecutive day on Saturday morning demanding safe roads and justice for death of two of their fellows in a road accident on 29 July. 

The movement sparked off after shipping minister Shajahan Khan smilingly compared the Dhaka Airport Road accident with the one in India, which killed 33 people, while talking to newsmen within one hour of the crash.