The students, now on a movement seeking safer roads, brought out a symbolic ‘coffin procession’ at Shahbagh in the capital on Sunday, demanding justice for road accident victims. The students brought out the procession around 1pm to press home their nine-point demand, including the issuance of a notification regarding half bus fare for students across the country. Students from different educational institutions in the capital took part in the procession. Read:Students take to streets again with 11-point demand Earlier in the morning, the protesters started a sit-in at Shahbagh with a coffin. Another group of protesters brought out another procession from the Public Library carrying only banners.

It's official. From Wednesday, all students will get a 50% discount on bus fares in the Dhaka metropolitan area. The announcement by the Dhaka Road Transport Owners Association on Tuesday comes in the wake of mass student protests over the past week. “However, the reduced fares will only be allowed in the Dhaka metropolitan area as the students here have demanded it,” Khandaker Enayet Ullah, the secretary of the Association, told the media. "The students will have to produce their institutional ID cards to avail the concessional fares." Also read: Private bus owners to allow half fares for students: Obaidul Quader However, the discounted fares for students will be allowed only from 7am to 8 pm and it will not be applicable on government holidays, weekly holidays and other holidays of educational institutions, said Khandaker. On Friday, the Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had asked them to reduce fares by 50% in state-run buses. On November 3, the government raised the prices of diesel and kerosene by Tk 15 per litre, prompting the transporters to enforce an indefinite strike in the country on November 7 demanding a hike in bus fares.

The private intra-city bus owners of Dhaka have said they will comply with the government decision to allow a 50 per cent discount on bus fares for students, said Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Tuesday. The owners will announce the decision by today at a press briefing, said Obaidul Quader, also the general secretary of Awami League, at the party’s Dhanmondi office. On Friday, the minister said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina asked them to reduce fares by 50 per cent in BRTC buses. Also read: Govt to allow half fares in BRTC buses for students: Obaidul Quader On November 3, the government raised the prices of diesel and kerosene by Tk 15 per litre prompting the transporters to enforce an indefinite strike in the country on November 7 demanding a hike in bus fares.

BNP on Sunday extended its support to the students demanding half bus fare for them, and urged the government to take steps to meet their demand. “We extend our full support to the demand of the students. We demand that steps be taken to provide them with half passes by reducing the fare. The government can provide subsidy, if necessary, in this regard,” BNP secretary genarel Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told a rally. Read:Demo for half bus fare: Students give 48-hour ultimatum Jatiyatabadi Swechchasebak Dal arranged the progarmme in front of the Jatiya Press Club, demanding BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s treatment abroad. The BNP leader said the students have been staging demonstrations demanding 50 percent discount in public transport as the costs of their studies have gone up. Besides, he said the poor and lower-income families are facing serious difficulties to cope with the growing price hike of all essentials, including rice, oil, pulses and salt and education materials like books and pens for their children. He said the government has deepened public sufferings by increasing the bus fare. “This anti-people government raised the diesel and kerosene prices by 15 percent…transport owners and workers had gone on a strike immediately demanding a hike in transport fares and the government increased that.” Read: Chhatra Odhikar Porishod demand notification to ensure students' half bus fare The BNP leader alleged the prices of fuel and the transport fares have been hiked in the interest of Awami League’s ‘corrupt syndicates’ who make their pockets heavier with public money. “The government is now saying it has reduced the fares of BRTC-run buses, but it can’t do the same regarding the private buses. When you can control private business and all other things, why can’t you reduce the bus fares for our students?” he said. He said the government needs to take steps for reducing fares of private buses even by giving Tk 2,000-3,000 crore subsidy to facilitate the students in pursuing their studies.

Students of two college on Saturday vandalized 10-12 buses in Science Laboratory area demanding half-fare bus ride in the city for students. A group of students brought out a procession in the area at noon and staged demonstrations, said Ekram Ali, officer-in-charge of Dhanmondi Police Station. They also vandalized 10-12 buses passing the area. Also read: Dhaka College students demand half-fare bus ride in the city