DU students issue ultimatum to Proctor

Students of Dhaka University (DU) besieged the Proctor's office on Wednesday, issuing a 7-point charter of demands following a road accident in which seven students were injured after being hit by a car driven by a DU professor's son.

Demanding a formal lawsuit, full medical compensation for the injured and administrative action against the driver, aggrieved students gathered in front of the Proctor's office on Wednesday afternoon.

Expressing anger over the Proctor's absence, protesters warned they would lock the office unless the Proctor appeared within an hour to detail official action taken by the administration.

Protesting students noted that although the university administration assured them of filing a case following Tuesday's accident, no clear progress was communicated, prompting the sit-in.

The 7-point demand submitted by the students includes bearing all medical expenses of the injured, preserving and releasing CCTV footage of the incident, prosecuting the accused driver, clarifying the charge sheet and case details, compensating for damaged personal belongings, taking administrative measures against the driver, and implementing long-term traffic safety measures across the campus.

Although reports indicate the administration informally promised to cover medical expenses, no official decision regarding the registration of a criminal case or fulfillment of demands was confirmed by Wednesday afternoon.

The incident occurred around 11:30 AM on Tuesday (October 13) in front of the Faculty of Business Studies (FBS) when a car hit a group of students, injuring seven. The vehicle was driven by Sadman Sakib, a 2023-24 session student of the Institute of Information Technology (IIT) and the son of DU Mathematics Department Professor Dr Md Shahidul Islam.

The injured—six from the Marketing Department and one from Linguistics—were rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Sadman claimed that he was attempting to drive for the first time, stating he accidentally pressed the accelerator instead of the brake, causing the vehicle to lurch forward before the accompanying driver regained control. Media reports revealed he did not possess a valid driving licence.

Following the accident, students detained Sadman and handed him over to the Proctor's office. His father, Professor Dr Md Shahidul Islam, stated that he would accept whatever disciplinary decision the university administration takes.

-SA