Photo: Collected

A college student was allegedly killed after being pushed off a moving bus by the driver’s assistant during a dispute over half fare for students on the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway. 

The incident occurred in the Masterbari area of Gazipur city at around 9:30pm yesterday (8 May).

The deceased, identified as 19-year-old Siam, was an eleventh-grade student at Rover Scout School and College in Masterbari. He was the son of Delowar Hossain of Baupara area in Gazipur Sadar.

Sadar Metro Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mehedi Hasan confirmed the incident, saying Siam’s body has been recovered and brought to the station. Following a request from the family, the body was handed over without an autopsy upon completion of legal formalities.

Legal proceedings regarding the incident are currently underway, he added.

According to locals and police, Siam boarded a bus operated by Champion Paribahan from Chandna Chowrasta at around 9pm, heading towards Masterbari. During the journey, a dispute broke out between Siam and the bus driver’s assistant over the half fare, a facility offered to students on public transport.

The altercation escalated, and at one point, the enraged driver’s assistant allegedly pushed Siam off the moving bus.

Siam fell onto the highway and was run over by the rear wheels of the bus, suffering severe head injuries. He began bleeding from the mouth and died on the spot, said locals. While locals managed to seize the bus, the driver and his assistant fled the scene.