{"id":45278,"date":"2018-09-13T12:37:48","date_gmt":"2018-09-13T19:37:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/world.edu\/?p=45278"},"modified":"2018-09-13T12:37:48","modified_gmt":"2018-09-13T19:37:48","slug":"dhaka-how-speeding-bus-drivers-sparked-a-student-insurrection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/world.edu\/dhaka-how-speeding-bus-drivers-sparked-a-student-insurrection\/","title":{"rendered":"Dhaka: how speeding bus drivers sparked a student insurrection"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\nTraffic jams \u2013 or \u201cjanjot\u201d, as locals call them \u2013 are a fundamental part of life in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. Sometimes the slowness of the traffic can give you a sense of claustrophobia, as you\u2019re trapped between vehicles that have become immovable objects. It\u2019s easy to see why there is a growing\u00a0ride-sharing business for motorbikes<\/a>, which can weave their way through the traffic more quickly. Upmarket apartment blocks even advertise helipad access, to help rich citizens deal with Dhaka\u2019s traffic problem.<\/p>\n

Although slowness can feel like the norm there, when acceleration becomes possible, it can be deadly. Dhaka\u2019s notoriously\u00a0overworked and underpaid<\/a>\u00a0bus drivers race each other to pick up passengers, and earn on commission.\u00a0Reports of corruption<\/a>\u00a0in Bangladesh\u2019s transport sector suggest that poorly regulated private companies use bribery to obtain licences for unqualified and inexperienced drivers.<\/p>\n

And so when two teenagers were killed by a speeding bus in July 2018, school children and college students\u00a0took to the streets<\/a>\u00a0to do what \u2013 in their view \u2013 the government should have been doing all along: check the age and licences of drivers, and raise awareness of the dangers faced by citizens. The students\u00a0set up blockades<\/a>, and the traffic crawled through the streets at an even slower pace than usual.<\/p>\n

At first, the government seemed willing to cooperate with the student demands. But there was mistrust on all sides: the government was concerned that a broader conspiracy was unfolding to undermine the regime, while students believed that links between government and the bus companies would frustrate their demands.<\/p>\n

Social media shut down<\/strong><\/h4>\n

As the protests continued for more than a week, the situation in Dhaka deteriorated.\u00a0Conflict broke out<\/a>: police clashed with protesters, and protesters with pro-government groups. Several journalists reported being\u00a0attacked and harrassed<\/a>\u00a0while filming in the streets. And a digital fog descended over the city, as the government\u00a0blocked mobile internet access<\/a>, making it harder to share images and information on social media.<\/p>\n

Internationally renowned photographer and activist\u00a0Shahidul Alam<\/a>\u00a0took to the street of his city to capture the protests. He shared videos to social media, and criticised the governent\u2019s handling of the protests\u00a0in an interview<\/a>\u00a0with Al Jazeera.
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