Patuakhali Science and Technology University (PSTU), long considered a safe haven for its students, is facing a growing safety crisis. A series of accidents on internal campus roads—driven by a lack of speed breakers and unauthorized vehicle traffic—has left several students injured and the campus community on edge.
The latest incident occurred Sunday afternoon when a speeding external auto-rickshaw struck four students from the Faculty of Nutrition and Food Science. While three students sustained minor injuries, Rifa Tahsin was seriously hurt and required emergency hospitalization for advanced treatment.
A Pattern of Negligence Students argue these accidents are a predictable result of poor traffic management. Despite being a university campus, unauthorized private cars and motorcycles frequently use internal roads as thoroughfares.
Recent renovations have inadvertently worsened the problem. Roads stretching from the East Gate to the West Gate were recently widened and paved. While the smoother surfaces are an aesthetic improvement, the project omitted speed breakers, effectively turning campus walkways into high-speed lanes for external drivers.
"This isn't an isolated event," one student said. "It's a failure of campus safety."
Past incidents support this claim: on Nov. 27: A business student was seriously injured near Muktobangla Chattar when a speeding auto-rickshaw overturned his vehicle.
Renovation Period: A faculty member’s car was significantly damaged in a collision with a speeding motorcycle.
PSTU Proctor Professor Md. Abul Bashar Khan stated that road construction is technically incomplete. He assured the community that speed breakers will be installed as soon as materials arrive and promised that road markings would be finished immediately.
However, for the 3,000 students and 650 staff members who navigate these roads daily, the promises feel overdue. The Muktobangla Chattar roundabout, a major campus artery, previously had two speed breakers that regulated traffic; their removal during construction has made the area a primary danger zone.
Students are now demanding strict limits on external vehicles and the immediate installation of safety infrastructure to prevent further tragedy.
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