2018 Bangladesh road-safety protests
A series of public protests in Bangladesh advocating improved road safety were held from 29 July to 9 August 2018. They were sparked by the deaths of two high-school students in Dhaka struck by a bus operated by an unlicensed driver who was racing to collect passengers. The incident impelled students to demand safer roads and stricter traffic laws, and the demonstrations rapidly spread throughout Bangladesh.
| 2018 Bangladesh road-safety protests | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Students blocking a road in Uttara, Dhaka, 2 August 2018 | |||
| Date | 29 July 2018 – 9 August 2018 | ||
| Location | |||
| Caused by | Two college students killed by negligent driver | ||
| Goals | Ensurement of safe roads, formulation and implementation of road-safety laws, and punishment of drivers violating traffic laws | ||
| Methods | Processions, road blockade, sit-ins, Human chains, Checking Driving Licence, Controlling traffic on the road etc. | ||
| Resulted in | Formulation of a new road safety law by the government, announcement of traffic week, change in driver recruitment and payment schemes | ||
| Parties | |||
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| Casualties | |||
| Injuries | 150 | ||
The protests were peaceful until 2 August, when police attempted to disperse the demonstrators with tear gas and people believed to be members of a pro-government youth league attacked protesters and journalists. The government arrested several protesters and a photographer for giving an interview about the protests to international media. Various international organisations and high-profile figures expressed solidarity with the protesters. The crack-down on the student protesters received high criticism both domestically and internationally.
The third Sheikh Hasina Cabinet approved on 6 August a draft traffic act stipulating capital punishment for intentional killing and a maximum five-year prison sentence for accidental killing with a motor vehicle. The protesters felt that the maximum five-year sentence was too light for accidental deaths due to reckless driving. By 9 August, the situation in the city had returned to normal, most students had returned to their classes and traffic had resumed as normal, with many sources stating that the protests were finally over.