Protesters take to the streets across country
Thousands of people from a wide spectrum of life demonstrated in Dhaka and elsewhere in the country demanding justice for those killed in the recent violence and release of the arrestees and detainees.
Students, teachers, guardians, lawyers, doctors, cultural activists, and citizens staged protests as part of the mass procession calledby the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Protesters blocked roads in the capital's Uttara, Science Lab and Mirpur-10 intersections, Aftabnagar and Shahbagh.
Several thousand people, chanting slogans demanding resignation of the government, took out a massive procession from in front of the Jatiya Press Club after holding a brief rally around 3:00pm. The procession ended at the Central Shaheed Minar after marching through different streets.
Protests were also held in Chattogram, Khulna, Sylhet, Habiganj, Barishal, Bhola, and several other districts. Demonstrators blocked highways in Tangail, Bogura, and Pabna.
In Dhaka, a group of students, teachers and parents held a protest rally in front of the Rajuk Uttara Model College around 10:00am.
Speaking at the programme, HSC examinee Sajjadur Rahman said, "What offence had been committed by my brother Mughdho? What was the fault of that girl child who was standing on the balcony? Why did so many innocent people die? Why were they killed brutally? We want justice for every single murder."
Hundreds of protesters gathered at the Science Lab intersection around 2:00pm and blocked a lane of the Mirpur Road for about an hour. They marched between the Science Lab intersection and Shahbagh.
Several hundred students and ordinary people blocked the Mirpur-10 intersection after Juma prayers, causing disruption in traffic for about an hour.
Students demonstrated in ECB Chattar of Kalshi in the afternoon demanding justice for the recent killings and release of the detained teachers and students.
Students of East West University took out a procession at Aftabnagar around 11:30pm. The procession ended in front of BRAC University after parading through different streets near the Rampura bridge.
A group of performance artists, singers, poets, authors, researchers, and photographers demonstrated in front of the Abahani playground in Dhanmondi. Holding placards and red cards, they condemned the killing of protesters and repression of the young demonstrators.
The protest started with artists painting pictures of demonstrations on red canvas. The performance artists staged a street drama depicting how the protesting students, including children, were shot by the law enforcers.
A group of urban planners formed a human chain at Banglamotor protesting the recent killings while medical students and doctors demonstrated at the Central Shaheed Minar around 10:00am.
Authors, poets, and publishers formed a human chain in front of the Bishwo Shahitto Kendro under the banner of "Poets and Writers against Countrywide Arrests and Oppression".
Authors Shahidullah Faraezi, Mohammad Nazimuddin, and Shudipto Salam, Dhaka University professor and researcher Mohammad Asaduzzaman, poets Tokon Thakur, Bokul Ashraf, and Kajol Shahnewaz, among many others, took part in the protest.
Speaking at the programme, Tokon Thakur said, "We are speechless seeing what has happened centring the quota reform protests. We express our solidarity with the students. We must speak out now. We condemn the brutal killings."
Some teachers and rights activists under the banner of "Pratibad Mancha" formed a human chain in front of the press club.
Addressing the programme, Dhaka University professor Robaet Ferdous and rights activist Nur Khan held the government responsible for the recent killings.
Meanwhile, 626 faculty members of BRAC University yesterday expressed solidarity with the ongoing protest.
In a statement, they said they were deeply shocked by the recent violence that led to the loss of lives and serious injuries. The teachers demanded those responsible be held accountable.
"As educatorscommitted to fostering a just, democratic and inclusive society, we stand by the rights of students to peaceful and legitimate protest. We are deeply concerned that this right has not been respected, and profoundly disturbed by the ongoing harassment that many students continue to face."
DEMO OUTSIDE DHAKA
In Chattogram, protesters took out a procession from Andarkilla area after Juma prayers. The procession marched different roads, including in the New Market area.
In Khulna, students held a protest in front of Khulna University. Protesters also gathered in Shonadanga bus terminal area. They took out a procession that marched towards Gollamari.
In Pabna, students demonstrated on the Dhaka-Pabna highway in front of the Pabna University of Science and Technology in the afternoon. They chanted slogans protesting the killings, torture and arrests of the demonstrators.
In Bogura, several thousand protesters held a demonstration in the district town's Satmatha around 3:00pm, halting traffic on the road for about two hours.
In Tangail, protesters, mostly students, blocked the Dhaka-Tangail highway in Tangail Town Bypass area for about an hour from 4:00pm.
In Barishal, demonstrators from Government Brojomohun (BM) College took out a procession after Juma prayers. The procession paraded through some streets in Nathullabad Central Bus Terminal area.
In Sylhet, demonstrations were held in front of the Mount Adora Hospital in the city's Akhalia area and near the entrance to Shahjalal University of Science and Technology.
In Habiganj, hundreds of protesters took out a procession from Jorapukur area of the district town after Juma prayers.
Students staged a demonstration in front of the Narsingdi Press Club. Protesters also blocked the Dhaka-Sylhet highway in Narsingdi's Bhelanagar area for about an hour from 4:30pm.
Comments