Students blocked Dhaka's Farmgate intersection this morning, demanding safer roads and a ban on battery-run rickshaws.

The protesters, under the banner of United Students Alliance, -- mostly from Government Sceince College in Tejgaon -- went to Farmgate in procession and blocked the road around 11:30am, halting traffic in the busy area.

Their demands include exemplary punishment for those responsible for death of one Sifat, who was run over by a truck in Farmgate on Tuesday.

As of 1:00pm, the students left the intersection, and traffic began moving slowly.

They also demanded the permanent removal of makeshift shops and illegal structures from footpaths, strict enforcement of parking laws with designated "No Parking Zones," and a ban on unauthorised rickshaws, trucks, and other vehicles on key roads in front of their institutions. Sadik Hossain Siam, a student of the Government Science College, said, "We have come out demanding safer roads. The authorities take no action even as people continue to be killed by reckless driving."

Bishal Roy, another student of the college, said, "We live in constant fear of road accidents as vendors have encroached on roads and footpaths, narrowing them. We want these structures removed."

The students further urged the authorities to implement long-term safety measures around educational institutions, including appointing traffic inspectors, installing foot overbridges and lane dividers, and deploying traffic police to protect pedestrians.

FP/MI