A driver of UberMOTO was detained by the police yesterday  in connection with a case filed for the death of Brac University student Fahmida Haque Labannya in a road accident on Thursday. Md Suman, a motorcyclist of the ride-sharing platform UberMOTO, was detained from Nabinagar Housing in the capital’s Mohammadpur around 1:25am. Biplob Kumar Sarker, deputy commissioner (Tejgaon division) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, told The Independent that the driver, working for a ride-sharing app, has been

detained and the motorbike seized. Sarker said: “During preliminary interrogation, Suman told the police that Labannya took the ride from Shyamoli around 10:36am on Thursday on the way to Khilgaon. A jaywalker suddenly appeared in front of the bike trying to cross the road near the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases in the Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area, forcing him to hit the brakes. Labannya couldn’t keep her balance and fell on the right side of the bike. A covered van ran over the girl, leaving her dead on the spot. We’re investigating whether Suman made any mistake during driving. We are trying to arrest the driver of the covered van as well.”

Meanwhile, hundreds of students of at least 4 private universities including BRAC demonstrated on the street in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area, in front of the Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College and held a human chain to protest the death of Fahmida.

Fahmida Haque Labannya (21), a third-year student of the computer science and engineering department of Brac University, was killed after a pickup hit the motorcycle she was riding on from behind and ran her over.

Suman was injured in the accident and received preliminary treatment at the emergency department of Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital. At first, the police could not find him there as he left the hospital before they arrived.

Sub-inspector of Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police station, Nurul Islam, said he checked the footage of CCTV cameras installed nearby, but these did not cover the accident spot. He took the phone number of Suman from the hospital’s register, but his mobile phone was found switched off. The SI said ride-sharing companies were providing passengers with helmets only for the sake of traffic rules and to dodge the eyes of the law enforcers. “The girl was wearing a helmet, but it was too thin to protect her,” the police officer added.

The accident has left the family in a state of shock.  Farhanul Haque Mridul, younger brother of Fahmida, said her sister left their Shyamoli residence around 10:30am. “She was on track to be an engineer and make her family’s dream come true. But her life was cut short by the road crash,” said her  brother. Sohel Rana, an eyewitness, said the bike was in the middle of the road around 11:15am when a lorry hit it.