University pupil pushed down from bus to death in M’vibazar

Sylhet, Mar 23 – Amid the outcry over the death of a private university student in the capital, another university student was crushed to death by a bus after its helper reportedly pushed him off the vehicle at Sherpur in Sadar Upazila of Moulvibazar district on Saturday evening.
The deceased was identified as Wasim Afnan, a 4th-year student of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering department of Sylhet Agricultural University (SAU) and son of M Abu Zahed Mahbub and Dr Mina Parvin of Rudra village in Nabiganj Upazila of Habiganj.
According to witnesses and victim’s friends, 11 students of the university boarded a Sylhet-bound bus of ‘Udar Paribahan’ coming from Mymensingh at the Toll Plaza in Habiganj after attending a wedding ceremony.
They decided to get down from the bus at Sherpur. At that time, a brawl broke out with the bus helper over fare which was later settled, said SAU student Shiplu Roy.
As Wasim was the last man to come down of the bus, its helper pushed him out of the vehicle and the driver soon sped away. Under the impact of the push, the university student went beneath the wheels and was eventually run over by the bus, he said.
Wounded critically, Wasim was sent to Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital where doctors declared him dead, said sub-inspector Faruque Ahmed of the hospital police camp.
Sub-inspector Quamrul Islam of Sherpur Highway Police said the accident happened as the helper closed the bus door before the student got down from it.
Police seized the bus from Begumganj of Osmaningar upazila of Sylhet but its helper and driver managed to flee, he said.
Meanwhile, students of the university took to the streets and started staging demonstrations at the Sylhet bus terminal in South Surma protesting the death of their fellow. – UNB