The Bangladesh Chhatra Odhikar Porishod staged a protest rally Sunday against the reported attacks on students by staff on public transport, mainly buses, for rightfully demanding the 50% discount they are entitled to on fares.
BCOP is insisting on a notification, like a gazette, that declares 'half-pass', as the 50% discount for students is popularly known.
Leaders and activists of the party staged the protest at the pedestal of Raju Bhaskarja of Dhaka University.
Later a procession from Raju Bhaskarja went around Kala Bhavan, Madhur Canteen, Central Library and ended back where it started.
Also read: Dhaka College students demand half-fare bus ride in the city
Bin Yamin Mollah, president of BCOP, said that students across the country were having to demonstrate for half fare - despite having it already. BCOP fully supports the students, and the solution for them lies in a notification to be issued by the authorities that has legal weight. If it is issued, no bus can randomly deny the students the discount, while others are giving it. There could be a more uniform implementation of policy.
"We condemn the attack on the agitating students and the humiliation of the female students," Mollah solemnly added.
He again warned, unless a notification ensuring half bus fare for students is issued soon, they would take to the streets with the agitating students.
BCOP, now under new leadership, is the organization through which ex-DUCSU VP Nurul Haque Nur and his cohorts successfully organized the quota reform movement.