One demand now
PM, her cabinet colleagues must step down, say protesters from a mammoth rally at Central Shaheed Minar
The Central Shaheed Minar and adjacent roads were full to the brim as thousands of people, including teachers, lawyers, guardians with their children, civil society members, cultural and political activists, freedom fighters and day labourers, from across the capital braved the rain and joined the anti-discrimination student movement yesterday afternoon. PHOTO: NAIMUR RAHMAN
Turning down the prime minister's call for dialogue, the organisers of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement yesterday came up with a one-point demand -- the resignation of Sheikh Hasina and her cabinet members.
They made the announcement at a rally attended by tens of thousands of people at the Central Shaheed Minar around 5:00pm.
Nahid Islam, a key organiser of the anti-discrimination student movement, surrounded by fellow organisers and protesters, announces the one-point demand at the mammoth rally in the capital's Central Shaheed Minar yesterday. PHOTO: COLLECTED
People from all walks of life – from teachers to lawyers to rickshaw pullers -- joined the rally that spilled over into surrounding areas.
"We are here with a one-point demand. We seek to ensure people's safety and justice … ," said Nahid Islam, one of the key organisers.
Referring to the PM's call for dialogue, he said, "We are demanding the resignation of Sheikh Hasina. Her resignation is not enough;she has to be brought to justice for all the killings and abductions. Not only Sheikh Hasina, but also the entire cabinet has to resign."
Nahid said they want to develop a political system where autocracy would never return. He urged the people to join the "student-citizen mass uprising" and organise in every locality.
Tens of thousands of people from all walks of life yesterday joined the anti-discrimination student movement in their own cities and districts across the country. Chattogram
He said the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement will soon forge an alliance of citizens, student organisations, and all professionals.
"Upon consulting all, we will unveil a future national framework. We are urging people to join the all-out non-cooperation. We will not cooperate with the government in any way," he said.
Earlier in the morning, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina called upon the students to sit with her at the Gono Bhaban.
"The Gono Bhaban's doors are open. I want to sit with the agitating students and listen to them. I don't want any conflict," she said at a meeting with professionals.
Dhaka
THE RALLY
Braving the rain, many with their family members started flocking to the Central Shaheed Minar since morning -- first in their hundreds and then in their thousands.
They carried the national flag, banners, and placards from across the city, including Rampura, Badda, Dhanmondi, Science Laboratory, and Mirpur areas.
As the rally began, the crowd poured over onto the Doyel Chattar in the east, Jagannath Hall in the west, Dhaka Medical College Hospital gate area in the south, and Shibbari intersection in the north.
The areas reverberated with anti-government slogans such as "Dofa Ek, Dabi Ek, Sheikh Hasinar Podotyag [One point, one demand, the resignation of Sheikh Hasina]".
The protesters in groups graffitied the streets, walls, and trees. Some of them were seen writing posters and banners.
Rafique Munir and his wife Ahmed Munira went to the Central Shaheed Minar with their six-year-old son.
Munir told The Daily Star, "The demand is now loud and clear. We do not want anyone in power who kills our children."
Aziz Miah, a rickshaw-puller, said, "Our brothers were killed when they took to the streets. How long will we remain silent? The time is now to raise our voices."
Demonstrators took to the streets across Dhaka since morning, demanding justice for those killed in the recent violence centring the quota reform protests. They blocked various intersections.
Around 11:00am, the protesters began gathering in front of BRAC University, Aftabnagar residential area gate and Banasree. They were chanting slogans demanding resignation of the PM and justice for their friends who were killed.
They graffitied the streets and walls.
Narayanganj
Around 2:00pm, the road from Rampura Bridge to Badda U-loop area was teeming with protesters, mostly students from private universities and colleges. Many others joined them from Badda, Rampura, and Banasree.
Some parents were seen accompanying their children on the streets.
People on balconies and roofs of buildings were seen clapping and echoing slogans as the processions went by. No police personnel were seen obstructing the processions.
Chanting slogans, they marched nearly 8km to join the rally at the Central Shaheed Minar.
At the Science Laboratory intersection, students started to gather around noon, and later blocked Mirpur Road.
Kamrul Hasan, a Dhaka College student who was there, said, "We cannot betray the blood of our brothers. We shall not leave the streets until the one-point demand is met."
A team of police personnel had already taken position in front of Baitul Aman Mosque Market, a few hundred metres from the protesters.
Around 1:30pm, parents of students in nearby neighbourhoods joined the protesters and gave them dry food and water.
After half an hour, the protesters formed a procession and headed towards the Shaheed Minar. As the procession went past New Market, hundreds of workers from nearby markets joined it.
Many students were seen tearing apart banners and posters of Awami League and Chhatra League.
People from teachers' and staff quarters of Dhaka University cheered them on. Many were seen giving them water, food, and flowers.
Thakurgaon
Meanwhile, thousands of students gathered at Mirpur-10 roundabout around noon. Their number grew as protesters in small processions joined them one after another.
Many guardians, rickshaw-pullers, hawkers, and employees of shops joined the protest.
Ayon Rahman, a student of law at Bangladesh University of Business and Technology, said, "We demand the withdrawal of all false cases against us."
Police and two dozen members of the Border Guard Bangladesh were standing at a safe distance from the demonstration.
In Uttara, the protesters took position near the BNS Centre and its surrounding streets. Like other places in the city, many parents were with them.
Students from various universities in and around Uttara stood on the pavements with placards. "My brother is in the grave, why is the killer outside?" and "Police, whose side are you on, the people's or Sheikh Hasina's?", read some placards.
A parent said, "We are here for the safety of our children. We want peace. No more bullets. These bullets are bought with our money."
Sylhet
As the rally at the Central Shaheed Minar ended at about 6:10pm, the protesters gathered in the TSC area. They tore down several banners and posters of Chhatra League leaders and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
They also removed wooden letters on the TSC auditorium that displayed slogans of the Chhatra League. They replaced the slogans with "Terror-Free TSC".
They also blindfolded the Raju Bhaskarjya with pieces of red cloth.
Around 7:00pm, the protesters threw brick chunks at the Shahbagh Police Station and chanted anti-police slogans.
Later, a large number of protesters blocked the Shahbagh intersection.
OUTSIDE DHAKA
In Narayanganj, students and their parents kept the Chashara intersection in Narayanganj city blocked for five hours from 11:30pm.
Students in Pabna brought out a procession in front of Pabna Edward College and on the campus of Pabna University of Science and Technology.
A group of students blocked Dhaka-Patuakhali highway for half an hour from 11:00am.
In Feni, agitators staged a sit-in in Khejur Chattar area for one and a half hours after Zohr prayers.
Protesters also took out processions in Jashore, Kushtia, Thakurgaon, Panchagarh and other districts.
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