The deceased was identified as Wasim Afnan, 22, a 4th-year student of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering department of Sylhet Agricultural University (SAU) and son of M Abu Zahed Mahbub and Dr Mina Parvin of Rudra village in Nabiganj upazila of Habiganj.
According to witnesses and victim’s friends, 11 students of the university boarded a Sylhet-bound bus of ‘Udar Paribahan’ coming from Mymensingh at the Toll Plaza in Habiganj after attending a wedding ceremony.
They decided to get down from the bus at Sherpur. At that time, a brawl broke out with the bus helper over fare which was later settled, said SAU student Shiplu Roy.
As Wasim was the last man to come down of the bus, its helper pushed him out of the vehicle around 5pm and the driver soon sped away. Under the impact of the push, the university student went beneath the wheels and was eventually run over by the bus, he said.
Wounded critically, Wasim was sent to Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital where doctors declared him dead, said sub-inspector Faruque Ahmed of the hospital police camp.
Sub-inspector Quamrul Islam of Sherpur Highway Police said the accident happened as the helper closed the bus door before the student got down from it.
Meanwhile, the body was handed over to the family without any autopsy at its request, said officer-in-charge of Kotwali Police Station Mohammad Selim Miah.
Police seized the bus from Begumganj of Osmaningar upazila of Sylhet around 8pm and arrested its driver Jewel Ahmed, 26, from the Kadamtali bus stand in the city around 11:30pm but the helper remained absconding.
Meanwhile, students of the university took to the streets and staged demonstrations at the Sylhet bus terminal in South Surma protesting the death of their fellow.
They also announced to boycott classes on Sunday and observe it as the mourning day.