Madrasa Student Killed in Tongi Road Crash, Highway Blocked

Students of Tamirul Millat Kamil Madrasa blocked the Dhaka–Mymensingh Highway in Tongi, Gazipur, on Sunday to protest the death of a fellow student in a road accident.

The protest began in the morning, with students gathering in front of the madrasa’s main gate and around the Gazipura bus stand. They remained on the highway until at least noon, disrupting traffic on both sides of the busy route. Long-distance buses, private vehicles and other road users were caught in the resulting congestion, causing considerable inconvenience to passengers and drivers.

The protest followed the death of 17-year-old Yasin Ali, a Class IX student at the madrasa, who was struck by a covered van while attempting to cross the Dhaka–Mymensingh Highway near Gazipura bus stand on Saturday evening.

According to police, the accident occurred at around 7.30pm. Yasin was crossing the highway when a covered van travelling at high speed hit him. He was thrown onto the road and sustained serious injuries, particularly to his head. He was bleeding heavily when police and local residents rescued him and took him to Tongi Government Hospital. Doctors there declared him dead.

Yasin was the son of Ripon Mia from Neyapara in Sujanagar police station area of Pabna. He had been living with his family in a rented home in the Kajipara area of Gazipura, Tongi.

Following the crash, the covered van driver fled the scene. Police later seized the vehicle from the accident site and took it to Tongi East Police Station. Officers are attempting to identify and arrest the driver, according to police.

Yasin’s death triggered anger among students at the madrasa, who took to the highway the following morning. They said the section around Gazipura bus stand and the madrasa is heavily used by pedestrians, including students, but lacks adequate facilities for safe road crossing.

The protesters alleged that vehicles frequently travel at high speed along the stretch, creating a persistent risk for pedestrians. They called for immediate measures to reduce vehicle speeds and prevent further accidents.

Among their key demands are the installation of effective speed breakers, construction of a footbridge for pedestrians and stronger enforcement of speed restrictions. They also urged the authorities to introduce measures specifically aimed at improving road safety around the madrasa and bus stand, where large numbers of students and commuters cross the highway.

Road blockades following fatal crashes are a recurring feature of protests over road safety in Bangladesh, particularly where pedestrians face difficulty crossing busy highways. Such protests often highlight concerns over speeding, inadequate pedestrian infrastructure and weak enforcement of traffic regulations.

Tongi East Police Station officer-in-charge Mehedi Hasan said police were speaking with the students and attempting to bring the situation under control.

The blockade continued at the time of reporting, leaving traffic movement along the Dhaka–Mymensingh Highway significantly disrupted.