Social activists, students and local residents held a protest rally in Rajshahi city on Thursday, demanding urgent action from the authorities after a student of Rajshahi College was seriously injured by falling into an uncovered manhole near the college.
The injured, Yasir Arafat, a second-year botany student and an organiser of the July mass uprising in the past year, fell into the manhole on August 5 while walking near the college hostel.
He suffered serious injury and is now undergoing treatment at a private hospital.
Addressing the rally organised at the entrance of Rajshahi College, speakers accused both the college administration and Rajshahi City Corporation of 鈥榗riminal neglect鈥� and 鈥榓dministrative apathy鈥� over long-standing safety hazards on the footpaths.
鈥楾he manhole Yasir fell into had been uncovered for weeks. We informed both the Rajshahi College and RCC authorities, but nothing was done,鈥� said freedom fighter Mahmud Jamal Quaderi.
Activist Waliur Rahman Babu alleged that such accidents were becoming increasingly common across the city. 鈥楾his is not just negligence; it is a breakdown of civic responsibility.鈥�
The speakers urged the authorities concerned to take immediate steps to repair all uncovered manholes and ensure safer pedestrian walkways.
They also urged the authorities to install close circuit cameras in key points of the city.
