Student thrown from autorickshaw after 'harassment' in Noakhali, road blockade in protest

A female student of the Noakhali Textile Engineering College has reportedly been harassed and thrown from an autorickshaw in the district’s Darbeshpur.

The incident occurred around 7:30pm on Wednesday, and the victim, a 21-year-old student from the 15th batch, was on her way home from the college after Iftar.

Two male passengers in the autorickshaw allegedly held her, harassed her, and stole her phone and cash.

When the student screamed, she was thrown out of the vehicle as the driver and passengers fled.

In protest and demanding the arrest of the culprits, students from the college started a road blockade at Chowmuhani intersection in Begumganj Upazila at 10pm.

The blockade caused a severe traffic jam, with buses and vehicles heading towards Dhaka, Chattogram, Feni, and Lakshmipur being stuck.

Around 12:45am, Mohammad Ibrahim, additional superintendent of police in Noakhali, said that the students were still on the road, but there were no significant updates.

He said police were in discussions with the students to clear the road.

Begumganj Police Station chief Liton Dewan confirmed that police operations were underway to arrest the perpetrators involved in the incident.

Later, locals alerted the student’s classmates, who joined the protest demanding swift action against the perpetrators.

Police and army personnel arrived at the scene and spoke with the students.