Protests shake the nation.
In the afternoon, large crowds from various parts of Dhaka flocked to Shaheed Minar in response to a call from the Anti-Discriminatory Student Movement, which is leading the protest against the government's heavy-handed response to demonstrations advocating for changes to the quota system in government jobs.
During the rally, the student organizers issued a clear demand: the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her cabinet members. They also rejected the Prime Minister's proposal for talks.
The protests over civil service job quotas, which began in July, led to several days of turmoil, resulting in over 200 deaths and some of the worst unrest seen during Sheikh Hasina's 15-year leadership.
By 4:15 p.m., Shaheed Minar was packed to capacity as people from various areas converged on the historic monument.
In a show of solidarity with the student protests, even rickshaw pullers gathered on the road in front of Central Shaheed Minar. They blocked one side of the road and chanted slogans demanding the resignation of the Sheikh Hasina-led government.
Aziz Miah, a rickshaw puller, told The Daily Star, "We have been silent for years despite enduring oppression under the Awami League government. Our brothers were killed for protesting. How long can we stay silent? It’s time to take to the streets."
Earlier, the organizers of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, leading the quota reform protests, urged everyone to join their events to ensure their success.
From the morning, thousands of students assembled at various locations across the capital, including Shahbagh, Mirpur-10, Rampura, Badda, and Science Lab intersection, staging protests and blocking surrounding roads.
Around 2:45 p.m., thousands of protesters, including students who had blocked the Science Lab intersection and Shahbagh, marched toward Shaheed Minar. Large groups of students from different private universities, colleges, and schools also blocked roads in Merul, Badda, Rampura bridge, and Banasree areas.
Chanting slogans, they demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and justice for the students killed during clashes with law enforcement across the country. The Merul-Badda road was blocked from 11:30 a.m.
By 2:00 p.m., another group of students joined those in Badda, bringing a procession from Banasree and South Banasree areas. Students from universities like BRAC, North South, East West, United International, Imperial College, and Rajdhani Ideal College participated, with some parents also joining to support their children.
The area was tense as many traders and shoppers closed their shops, and vehicular movement was halted. Public buses were rerouted, and law enforcement was stationed in front of BTV Bhaban and Banasree.
At the Science Lab Intersection, hundreds of students blocked Mirpur Road, and organizers used the elephant statue at the intersection to deliver speeches. One organizer declared, "We cannot betray the blood of our brothers. We shall not leave the streets without achieving our one-point demand: the resignation of PM Hasina."
Students also painted slogans on the streets and made sure to direct vehicles away from the protests while allowing emergency services through. Guardians were seen providing snacks and water, with some expressing their commitment to protecting their children from police action.
In Mirpur 10, hundreds of protesters gathered around noon, halting traffic and chanting slogans in memory of victims from previous violence during the protests. Some wrote slogans on the road, and law enforcement maintained a safe distance.
In Faridpur, clashes between police and protesters led to injuries for at least eight people. The confrontation occurred in front of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical College Hospital when medical college students and others marching for justice were attacked by ruling party supporters. Police used tear gas, sound grenades, and bullets to disperse the crowd.
In Cumilla, at least 50 students were injured, including six by gunfire, during clashes with ruling party activists and police in Chandina upazila. The violence escalated after Awami League supporters fired shots and threw cocktails at demonstrators. Protesters also set fire to an Assistant Commissioner of Land’s vehicle and blocked the Dhaka-Chittagong highway.
Protests also occurred in Jatrabari-Signboard, where the Dhaka-Chattogram highway was blocked in the afternoon. In Naogaon, at least seven students were injured in clashes with ruling party men and law enforcement, and an Awami League office was vandalized.
In Rajshahi, traffic on the Rajshahi-Dhaka highway was suspended as students from Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET) and Rajshahi University, along with others, blocked the highway and chanted anti-government slogans despite the rain.
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