Traffic came to a standstill along the Dhaka-Chittagong highway on Sunday morning as hundreds of Comilla University students staged a road blockade, demanding swift justice for the murder of Apratim, a fellow undergraduate student whose body was recovered over the weekend.
The demonstration began shortly after 10:00 AM, following Apratim’s first funeral prayer (namaz-e-janaza) at the university’s central playground. Chanting slogans and carrying banners, grief-stricken classmates and university peers marched towards the Kotbari section of the highway. By 11:30 AM, protestors had taken over both lanes of the arterial route near Nandanpur, effectively cutting off one of the nation’s most vital transport links and causing extensive traffic queues that stretched for several kilometres.
The blockade was called off around 1:50 PM after student representatives issued a strict 24-hour ultimatum to the local administration and law enforcement agencies to arrest every individual involved in the killing.
Participants expressed deep concern over the deteriorating public safety situation in the region. Farha Khanam, a student from the Bangla Department’s 2021–22 academic session, stressed that the rally was organised not only to secure justice for Apratim but also to highlight the worsening law and order conditions across Comilla.
Dissatisfaction with the official handling of the investigation was palpable among the crowd. Anjan Roy, a senior student from the same department, voiced frustration over the lack of transparency from local authorities. Students are demanding direct accountability rather than distant administrative statements, insisting that police officials address the student body in person to outline concrete progress.
Police recovered Apratim’s body on Saturday afternoon from a secluded location in the Lalmai Hills area, situated within the Sananda village of Vijaypur Union, Comilla Sadar South Upazila. He had been reported missing since Friday afternoon after leaving his residence with his mother’s iPhone.
Investigators traced closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage from the surrounding areas, which led to the initial detention of a prime suspect and the subsequent recovery of the missing mobile phone. Comilla University Proctor Abdul Hakim confirmed that law enforcement agencies acted quickly following the discovery of the body, detaining three suspects in connection with the crime.
Following the protest, a second funeral prayer was held at 11:00 AM on Sunday at the Gandhamati Eidgah ground in Kotbari, after which Apratim was laid to rest in a local cemetery. University authorities and local police have assured the public that a thorough investigation remains underway.
