Desk Report,
AL’s exercise of strength, ‘March to Dhaka’ announced
From the rally at the Central Shaheed Minar, Nahid Islam, the coordinator of the anti-discrimination student movement, announced a one-point declaration on August 3 (2024) to overthrow Sheikh Hasina’s government and eliminate fascism. Then, in order to handle the situation, it was decided to suppress this movement through the use of political force in multiple meetings of the Awami League’s policy-making level. At midnight that day, leaders and activists of the Awami League and allied parties and organizations began to exercise force in many areas of Dhaka.
AL’s exercise of strength, ‘March to Dhaka’ announced
From the morning of the next day (August 4), leaders and activists of the Awami League, Chhatra League, Jubo League and allied organizations across the country including Dhaka took to the streets to resist the movement. They were armed with various types of indigenous weapons, including sticks and ramdas. Many fired at the protesters with various firearms. They were seen engaging in clashes with the protesters while standing next to the law enforcement agencies.
Incidents of conflict and violence occurred in at least 50 districts of the country, including the capital Dhaka, surrounding the all-out non-cooperation program called by the anti-discrimination student movement. On that day, 98 people were killed and many others were injured in 20 districts and metropolises, including Dhaka. Attacks, vandalism and arson occurred on Awami League offices, police stations and various government establishments in at least 38 districts of the country. At least 13 of these places included attacks, vandalism and arson on the residences and offices of ministers, state ministers, members of parliament and Awami League leaders. BSMMU was attacked, vandalized and cars were set on fire in Shahbagh, Dhaka.
To control the situation, the then government imposed an indefinite curfew across the country on the evening of August 4. In addition, a three-day general holiday (August 5, 6 and 7) was also declared from August 5 to 7.
Not only that, seven days later, the 4G network was shut down again after 12 noon on the orders of a government agency. Services like Facebook and WhatsApp were also ordered to be shut down. In addition, a government agency has asked the International Internet Gateway (IIG) to shut down the Meta platform Facebook, Messenger, WhatsApp, and Instagram after 1 p.m. in a verbal directive.
Press conference at Rawa Club, hearing in the High Court
Retired army officers said at a press conference at the Rawa Club auditorium in the capital on what needs to be done to resolve the crisis in the country’s turbulent situation on August 4, “Initiatives have been taken to militarize the political crisis.”
Former army chief General (retd) Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan delivered the keynote speech at the press conference. Former army chief Lieutenant General (retd) Nuruddin Khan delivered the closing speech.
In a writ hearing today, the High Court said that law enforcement agencies must be given top priority to protect people’s lives and dignity. If someone violates the law, the police or law enforcement agencies can use rubber bullets, tear gas shells, and then lethal bullets. If there is no violation of the law or no riot, no lethal bullets (live bullets) can be used.
‘March to Dhaka’
The internet may be shut down again, this was being discussed among the students at that time. For this reason, coordinator Nahid Islam announced the program for the next day (August 5) in a press release on the afternoon of August 4. He said that on August 5, ‘in memory of the martyrs’, martyr memorial plaques will be unveiled at the places of the victims across the country. In Dhaka, a workers’ rally will be held at Shahbagh at 11 am and a women’s rally at the Central Shaheed Minar at 5 pm. In addition, demonstrations and mass sit-in programs will be held across the country.
On August 6, Nahid announced the ‘Long March to Dhaka’ program, calling on students, citizens and workers from all over the country to come to Dhaka with the slogan ‘We must give up power, the people should come to Dhaka’. He announced that the protesters would gather at Shahbagh at 2 pm that day. He said, “Everyone will occupy the streets until the government falls on one demand and continue the non-cooperation movement peacefully.”
But in a separate statement that afternoon, Asif Mahmud Sajeeb Bhuiyan, coordinator of the student movement against discrimination, said, “In an urgent decision after reviewing the situation, our March to Dhaka program has been changed from August 6 to August 5. In other words, we are calling on students from all over the country to march to Dhaka on August 5.” As the reason for bringing forward the program, he said, “Today, the murderer Hasina killed more than half a hundred students. The time has come to give a final answer.”
