Dhaka: School and college students returned to the streets for the 7th consecutive day on Saturday although the government has asked them to return to home saying that it has accepted all of their demands.

The protesting students were seen regulating traffic, checking documents of drivers at different points of the capital as part of their ongoing agitation seeking safer roads, reports the UNB.

They were also guiding people to use zebra crossings asking them to use footpaths and seatbelts, and driving vehicles in a disciplined way using lanes outlined by them.

Some students gathered at Shantinagar intersection around10amand they were seen regulating traffic and checking licences.

Visiting different areas in the capital, UNB reporters found gatherings of students at Science Lab intersection, Asad Gate,Mirpur-10, Panthapath, Technical, Airport road, Mouchak intersections and Uttara House Building areas to press home their demands.

They were chanting slogans as usual, ‘We want justice’.

UNB correspondents from Mohakhali area reports: Some policemen were seen reading newspapers, and having tea on a road near Mohakhali bus stand while students controlling traffic.

Some students were seen monitoring the overall traffic management riding pick-up vans.

They were also seen writing ‘OK’ to each vehicle with marker pen after first checking of driving licence and other documents to help them avoid frequent checking.

Although a very few public buses were on the road, traffic jams were seen at different points of the capital.

Traffic were moving slowly on Airport Road as several hundred students gathered there as part of their agitation programme around 11:00am.

Meanwhile, some 1,000 students gathered at Shahbagh intersection around 11:00am and were checking licences of drivers blocking three sides of the intersection, disrupting traffic.

Some leaders and activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League of Dhaka University unit went to the spot and are trying to remove them from the road.

‘Although the government is saying that they have accepted all our demands, we want written assurance from the Prime Minister. We’ll continue our movement until we get such an assurance,’ said a student at Shahbagh intersection.

In Chattogram, students gathered at GEC intersection in the city and staged protests.

In Rajshahi, students of different schools and colleges gathered at Zero Point at Saheb Bazar of the city around10:30amprotesting the attack on students during their demonstrations seeking safer roads.

Additional police have been deployed to avoid any untoward situation and for the security of students, said Iftekhar Alam, spokesperson of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police.

Besides, students gathered on roads in Brahmanbaria, Barishal, Natore and Chapainawabganj districts, and they were also checking the documents of vehicles.

On July 29, Diya KhanamMim and Abdul Karim Rajib, students of the college section of Shaheed Ramiz Uddin School and College, were killed as a ‘Jabal-e-Noor Paribahan’ bus ploughed through some students in front of Kurmitola General Hospital on Airport Road which sparked off protests among the students across the country. They finally came up with a 9-point demand.

Meanwhile, people continued to suffer in the capital and elsewhere in the country as long-route bus services remained suspended for the second consecutive dayon Saturdayprotesting alleged vandalism of vehicles during the ongoing student movement for safer road.

In an apparent counter-programme, bus ownerson Fridaystopped operating long-haul buses in different districts.

Although the bus operators resumed the services at night, they suspend it again in the morning.

No long-route buses left the capital from Mohakhali, Gabtoli and Saidabad bus terminals in the morning, said officers-in-charge of Darus Salam thanaSelim-uz-Zaman and Jatrabari thana Kazi Wazed.

Many expatriates who returned home today were seen waiting anxiously at Shahjalal Airport as they have no way to go home amid suspension of long-route bus services.

Besides, the bus services remained suspended in Chuadanga and Mymensingh for third the consecutive day and Khulna, Natore, Joypurhat and Chapainawabagnj for the second straight day.