RAISING THEIR VOICES FOR CHANGE
Protesters take a stand for the people of Bangladesh
As the Bangladesh government continues its crackdown on news and protests in the wake of two students’ traffic deaths, Lansdale area residents rallied Tuesday to protest the human rights violations and advocate for road safety in Bangladesh.
“We want the world to hear our voices,” said Adiba Ahmed, a Lansdale resident who helped organize Tuesday’s local protest.
Dozens of people gathered at Railroad Plaza in the borough at 9 a.m. Tuesday. Many of the participants are members of Lansdale’s Bangla community and have familial ties in Bangladesh.
On July 29, two teenage students were struck and killed by a bus that was speeding to overtake other buses on the road, according to various news reports. At least one arrest was made in connection to the incident, according to news reports.
Corruption is rife in Bangla-
desh, making it easy for unlicensed drivers and unregistered vehicles to ply the roads. At least 12,000 people die each year in road accidents often blamed on faulty vehicles, reckless driving and lax traffic enforcement.
During the protests in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, students then stopped thousands of vehicles — including those of top officials and judges — demanding to see if the cars were registered and the drivers licensed. One minister had to abandon his vehicle in the street after protesters found that his paperwork was not in order, according to news reports.
“These are our human brothers and sisters,” Sharany Nahar, a Lansdale resident and Penn State Abington student, said of the people of Bangladesh. “It shouldn’t be a privilege to have road safety — to be able to cross the street and not be hit by a bus.”
Ahmed said government officials have made no real
commitment to enacting safety regulations or promising that the bus drivers will be brought to justice. People who protest or publish anything about the situation are facing consequences, from seeing social media posts removed to physical assault, she said.
“Why are 14-year-old students being attacked with tear gas and rubber bullets?” Ahmed asked in dismay.
The protesters sang the Bangladesh national anthem and recited the United States’ pledge of allegiance before walking to the corners
of Main and Broad streets at 10 a.m. to continue the peaceful protest.
“We want justice! We want justice!” the participants chanted — the same rallying cry from protesters in Dhaka — holding signs for passing drivers to see.
Among her hopes for after this protest, Nahar said she would like western media to also cover this story and for citizens in western countries realize “how lucky they are” to be able to protest without fear of punishment from the government.
“Police here are your friends,” she said, gesturing to some of the Lansdale police officers who provided oversight and protection during Tuesday’s protest. “In Bangladesh, they abuse you; they don’t protect you.”
“I hope you guys can get change,” Lt. Ryan Devlin said to the assembled crowd before he advised them on safety and rally behavior. “It’s a small step, but it’s a start.”
North Penn High School rising senior Sarah Ahmad said Tuesday’s protest was the first she ever attended. Asked what spurred her to action, she said, “If we do this around the world, people will pay attention.”
Fellow North Penn senior Fahim Dhrubo echoed that sentiment.
“The government [in Bangladesh] isn’t listening. If we could raise awareness, we could change things.”