RU proctor removed after truck kills student on campus

In the face of students' demand, Rajshahi University Vice-Chancellor Golam Sabbir Sattar verbally removed the acting proctor, Assistant Professor Liaquat Ali, from his post following the death of a student on campus last night.

On Wednesday, police arrested the truck driver and his helper from their home in Kashiadanga area of the city, Rajshahi Metropolitan Police Commissioner Abu Kalam Siddique confirmed.

Meanwhile, the body of the deceased student - Mahmud Habib Himel – was taken to the campus for an Islamic funeral at 11am.

"After the funeral, Mahmud's mother and uncle took the body to his maternal hometown in Natore's Kapriapti, where he will be laid to rest," RU Public Relations Department Administrator Pradip Kumar Pandey said.

"The vice-chancellor at the time handed over a Tk5 lakh cheque to Mahmud's mother on behalf of the university," spokesperson Pradip Kumar added.

The 4th-year student of the Fine Arts faculty was crushed to death and another student named Raihan Pramanik was injured as a truck containing construction material ran over the victims' vehicle in front of the Habibur Rahman residential hall at RU on Tuesday (1 February) around 9pm.

Soon after the news of the accident spread, agitated students set fire to five trucks and blocked the Dhaka-Rajshahi highway in front of the main gate of the university.

Later, they announced an interlude in the movement at 2am on Wednesday after placing a seven-point demand in writing to the VC.

The injured student, Raihan Pramanik, is now out of danger after he underwent a minor knee surgery at the Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.