A tragic road accident near the main gate of the International Islamic University Chittagong (IIUC) in Kumira has triggered widespread protests, leading to a massive gridlock along the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway and disrupting regional rail communications.
The incident occurred at approximately 9:30 am on Tuesday, 3 November, in the Sonaichhari Union of Sitakunda Upazila. Maisha Mushfirat, a second-year undergraduate student in the Department of English at IIUC, lost her life when a mini-bus overturned onto her. Three other female students sustained injuries in the collision, with one remaining in critical condition under intensive medical care.
CCTV footage captured at the scene revealed that two heavy goods lorries were racing recklessly alongside one another. As one lorry veered sharply and squeezed the other, the second vehicle lost control and struck a stationary mini-bus parked nearby. The impact caused the mini-bus to flip onto its side, trapping Maisha beneath its frame as she was disembarking.
Local residents and eyewitnesses immediately detained the two lorries involved in the crash. Sergeant Shafiul Islam of the Bar Aulia Highway Police Station confirmed that police units dispatched to the scene recovered both heavy transport vehicles alongside the damaged mini-bus, securing them at the highway police station for investigation.
Outraged by the tragedy, IIUC students gathered en masse around 11:30 am to block the vital Dhaka-Chittagong Highway. Demonstrators also laid heavy tree trunks across the adjacent railway lines, halting train services and causing vehicular traffic to stretch over 10 kilometres in both directions.
Students voiced deep frustration over long-standing safety neglect outside their campus. Marufult Haq, a student from the university’s Department of Law, highlighted that students have repeatedly submitted demands to the relevant authorities for a pedestrian footbridge at the main entrance, citing daily hazards posed by high-speed freight traffic. Protesters declared that the blockade would persist until concrete assurances were provided regarding highway safety infrastructure and accountability for reckless driving.
University Proctor Mostafa Munir Chowdhury expressed profound grief over the loss, confirming that administration officials are on-site monitoring the situation, coordinating support for the injured students, and liaising with law enforcement to address the students’ legitimate safety concerns. Highway police continue negotiations with the demonstrating students to clear the transport arteries and restore movement across the region.
