Jagannath University students on Wednesday seized 10 buses belonging to Gabtali Link Ltd on the campus after an alleged assault on a fellow student.
On the day, the buses were brought from Jatrabari and stationed in front of the university鈥檚 science faculty by a group of students in protest at the assault on a fellow student.
The victim, Kiran Kumar Rabidas, is a student at the chemistry department of the university under the 2023-24 session.
Rabidas boarded a Gabtali Link No 8 bus from Gulistan, heading towards Kalyanpur.
Due to delays in departure and the approaching iftar time, a dispute arose between the passengers and bus staff members, Rabidas said.
At one point, the altercation escalated into a scuffle between the driver and Rabidas.
Rabidas said that although other passengers were allowed to disembark at their destinations, he was forcibly detained inside the bus at Kalyanpur.
He also said that the bus staff members verbally abused him, charged him double fare, and physically assaulted him after gathering more staff members.
The student, however, managed to flee the scene by jumping onto a motorbike.
Outraged by the incident, JnU students later detained the buses demanding justice.
鈥楯ust two days ago, a female JnU student was harassed on a Victor Classic bus, and now another student has been physically assaulted on a different bus,鈥� Masud, a protesting student said, adding that they will not allow any bus to mistreat their fellow students again.
Rabidas said, 鈥業 only asked the bus superviser to depart on time and for this I was singled out, detained, and beaten.鈥�
鈥榃e always try to accommodate students, but what our staff members did in this case was a serious offence,鈥� an assistant from a Gabtali Link Ltd bus, on condition of anonymity, said, adding that their bus company representatives are coming to discuss the issue with the university administration.
Rubel, managing director of Gabtali Link Ltd, said, 鈥榃e have heard about the matter.鈥�
聽He also said that they would sit with the university administration and resolve this issue as soon as possible.
鈥楾he victim has not yet filed a formal complaint with us,鈥� professor AKM Rifat Hasan, director of student welfare at the JnU, said, adding that if a written complaint is submitted, the administration will take action.
The accused individuals have pledged to appear before the Jagannath university authorities on Sunday, the university proctor, professor Tazammol Hoque, said, adding that until then, one of the buses of the accused transport company will remain stationed on the campus.
