Teachers, students and people from all walks of life under the banner of ‘Droho Jatra’ brought out a mass procession in the capital on Friday demanding the resignation of the government by Sunday.
The procession started at the National Press Club and ended at the Central Shaheed Minar via Dhaka University’s Doel Chattar and TSC. Hundreds of thousands of people joined the pre-scheduled programme.
The protesters demanded that this government should resign. If the government does not resign by Sunday, a mass procession will be brought out from in front of the National Press Club at 3:00 pm on the day, protesters said.
People started to gather in front of the National Press Club before three o’clock to participate in the protest as per the prearranged programme. Students, teachers, parents, representatives of civil society and leaders of various student organizations were present, among them.
Jahangirnagar University’s former professor Anu Muhammad said that their demand is now only one, this government should resign. He also demanded justice for those killed during the quota movement.
“Now the main agenda (discussion) is how democratic transition will take place in Bangladesh,” he added.
After that, the procession started around 3:30 PM and reached the Central Shaheed Minar around 4:30 PM. Public health specialist Dr Mohammad Mushtuq Husain, Dhaka University teachers CR Abrar and Asif Nazrul, and development economics researcher Maha Mirza were present in the rally.
Ragib Naeem, president of Chhatra Union, said the government must resign by Sunday.
Curfew should be lifted by Sunday and all educational institutions should be opened, he said while announcing the new programme at the Central Shaheed Minar after the march.
He also placed several demands, including stop of wholesale arrests and release of all detainees.
“If these demands are not met, a mass march will start in front of the National Press Club at three o’clock on Sunday,” he said.
‘Prayers and Student’s Mass March’ programs were held in the capital and different districts on Friday.
On Friday afternoon, hundreds of artistes and people joined the protest in front of Abahani playground in Dhanmondi. They also demanded the resignation of the government, taking responsibility for the killing and demanded investigation and trial of the killings under the supervision of the United Nations.
Braving rain, students, general people, photographers, singers, poets, and writers participated in the rally since the morning. Even though police were deployed there, they did not try to foil the event.
Artists painted on a long canvas depicting scenes of carnage. Then they staged a street drama titled ‘Astha-Anastha’.
Apart from performing this street drama, the musicians performed rousing mass music and recitals. The main theme of the event is ‘Trust in the people, mistrust in dictatorship’. Also, they chanted various slogans like ‘Ganatantra Mukti Pak, Swairachar Nipat Jak’.
Convener artist Mustafa Zaman said in the closing speech of the event that the artist community felt it was their duty to stand against lawlessness, injustice, and repression.
The people in the country have lost their political rights and got deprived of voting rights, he said.
