Bangladeshi police fired tear gas on students occupying an intersection in central Dhaka on Sunday as thousands of protesters took to the streets for an eighth day to demand road safety measures.
The protests began after two college students were killed in an accident on Dhaka's Airport Road on July 29. On Sunday, students of various schools and colleges started controlling traffic in Dhaka for the eighth consecutive day.
By 1 pm (0700 GMT), thousands of university students were taking part in the demonstration, witnesses said.
Students were holding a sit-in at Jigatola intersection and chanting slogans like, "We want justice!" when police started firing tear gas shells.
"It was a peaceful rally, but suddenly police fired tear gas shells aimed at us [that] left several injured," Mohammad Atikur Rahman, one of the protesters, told dpa.
A number of journalists were also beaten and had their cameras taken away by ruling party members at the site of the protest.
Transport workers have suspended services, fearing for their safety and the possibility of damage to their vehicles. No long-route buses departed or entered the city, leaving Dhaka essentially isolated from the rest of the country.
According to police, about 3,000 people die every year in road crashes across the country. But the private organization Bangladesh Commuters' welfare Association said at least 7,397 people were killed last year.
It is common in Bangladesh for people to drive vehicles without a valid license. In the last week a number of police and government officials were found lacking proper documents after being confronted
by protesters.
Bangladeshi students march along a street during a student protest in Dhaka. AFP
