DHAKA, July 13 (BSS) - Educational institutions across the country today mourned the deaths of 44 students in a road accident in Mirsarai, Chittagong on Monday.

The students of Abu Torab Bahumukhi School, Abu Torab Government Primary School, Abu Torab Senior Madrasa, Abu Torab Fazil Madrasa and Prof Kamal Uddin Chowdhury College died when a truck carrying back about 70 children from a football match fell into a roadside ditch.

As per a decision of the government, students and teachers in Chittagong and elsewhere in the country wore black badges in schools, colleges and madrasas to mourn the deaths of the Mirsarai students.

Special prayers were also held in educational institutions seeking eternal peace of the departed souls. Black flags were also hoisted in schools and colleges.

In Dhaka city, Holy Cross School and College, Motijheel Ideal School and College, Notre Dame College, Government Laboratory School and College, Dhaka Commerce College, BAF Shaheen College, Tejgaon College and other institutions commemorated the deaths of students.

The education ministry yesterday asked the educational
institutions to mourn the deaths of the students today.

In Chittagong, schools, colleges and universities mourned the
deaths of the school students. National flag and black flag were
hoisted at all educational institutions there mourning the loss.

Mourning rallies were held at the educational institutions
with participants wearing black badges.

Family members of the deceased, teachers and students of
educational institutions in Mirsarai upazila recalled the
memories of the students who lost their lives in the accident.

A pall of gloom remained over whole Mirsarai upazila on the
second day of mourning programme announced by the local
administration.

Hundreds of locals, led by teachers and students, wearing
black badges, gathered at Abu Torab Bahumukhi High School, which
alone lost 33 students, in the morning.

One after another, classmates, teachers and relatives of the
deceased took over the microphone and recalled the chats they had
with them in recent days. Shutters of shops of Abu Torab Bazar
area remained down from Monday.

Special prayers were held at Abu Torab Mosque for eternal
peace of the departed souls of the students.

Hasmat Jahan, headmistress of Dr Khastogir Government Girls'
High school in Chittagong city, told BSS that the students and
teachers of her school took part in the prayers seeking peace of
the departed souls wearing black badges, and observed a minute's
silence in memory of them around 10 am.

The principal of Ispahani Public School and College, Mohammad
Mahbubul Alam Chowdhury, told the news agency that the students
of the school observed a minute's silence as a mark of respect to
the victims at 9:45 am.

Later, a special prayer was held. Everyone wore black badge
and black flag was hoisted at the institution, he added.

Many other institutions, including Chittagong University,
Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University and
Chittagong College and Chittagong Government Mohsin College,
organized similar programmes.