Students from various educational institutions here in the Bangladeshi capital on Monday staged demonstrations protesting the massive hike in fuel prices across the country, according to a media report.

The government on August 5 raised the price of diesel and kerosene by 42.5 per cent and petrol and octane by 51.1 per cent and 51.7 per cent respectively. The fuel price increase led to a hike in public transport fares.

The demands of demonstrators at the Nilkhet intersection included lowering fuel prices to their previous rates within 48 hours, cancelling the hike in transport fares, and ensuring half fare for students in public transport, the United News of Bangladesh news agency reported.

“Anarchy is going on in the name of fares in the public transport sector. It has to be stopped. Commuters have to pay two to three times more than the previously fixed fare due to the unbearable condition created by the transport owners,” Ismail Samrat, chief coordinator of the Seven College Movement, said.

The protesters also joined another demonstration by the Left-leaning alliances against Sunday’s police attack on their procession against the fuel price hike. Meanwhile, a Supreme Court lawyer on Monday filed a petition with the High Court challenging the legality of the government’s decision to increase the fuel price. Advocate Md Eunus Ali Akond in his public interest litigation sought a stay on the government notification issued over the fuel price hike, the Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported. He said the government has “unreasonably” increased the price of fuel products.