Dhaka University (DU) students have gathered at Shahbag on Friday to protest against the police attack on students from various universities during the Bangla blockade on Thursday. The demonstration has resulted in the halting of surrounding traffic.
The protest began at 4:30 pm in front of the DU central library under the banner of the anti-discrimination student movement. By 5:30 pm, the protesters had marched through key areas of the university and converged at Shahbag.
During the protest, students stood at Shahbag intersection chanting slogans and holding placards. Despite the road being closed, they made way for ambulances to pass smoothly. Slogans such as “Kota na Medha, Medha Medha,” “Kubi/Chabite/Shekribi attack why, the administration should answer,” “Police/attack/lawsuit movement, can’t be stopped,” “Dafa one demand one, quota not come. Back,” and “Sara Banglaay Khabar De, Kota Prathar Kabar De” filled the air.
Abu Saeed, a co-coordinator of the movement, stated, “During our logical movement, our brothers and friends were attacked in various universities. We are conducting a logical and democratic movement, but police attacked there. We demand that the attackers be quickly identified and brought to justice. In protest against this, we have initiated a protest rally across the country including DU.”
The protest rally was announced during a press conference at Shahbag on Thursday at 9 pm, following the Bangla blockade. Demonstrations and rallies are being held simultaneously at all universities across the country today at 4 pm to protest the attacks on students at various universities.
The students’ current one-point demand, announced on July 7, is for the cancellation of all unreasonable and discriminatory quotas in all grades and for the amendment of the quota system through legislation in the parliament, reducing it to the minimum level for the backward groups mentioned in the constitution.