The Anti-Discrimination Students Movement will take out “Shaheedi March” across the country today to mark the one month of the fall of the Hasina regime.
“We think it is time to remember those who lost their lives for the cause. That’s why tomorrow, a month after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government [on August 5], we’ll commemorate the martyrs with marches across the nation,” said Sarjis Alam, one of the movement’s coordinators, at TSC auditorium yesterday.
“I invite the families of every martyr to the march.”
In Dhaka, the procession will begin at Raju Memorial Sculpture at 3:00pm and parade through Nilkhet, New Market, Kalabagan, Dhanmondi, Manik Mia Avenue, Farmgate, Karwan Bazar, Bangla Motor, and Shahbagh before ending at the Central Shaheed Minar.
“We will not celebrate the victory until the human and constitutional rights are restored. We must uphold the spirit of the movement,” said Sarjis.
He asked people to take part spontaneously and speak about the misrule of the last government and their desires from the interim government.
Meanwhile, student leaders warned that law enforcement agencies would deal with anyone involved in controversial activities, like extortion and torture.
“We urge the people to hand over anyone attempting to tarnish the spirit of the student movement,” said Abu Baker Majumder, another coordinator.
He announced the formation of a fact-finding committee to identify those who opened fire on protesters during the uprising.
On forming their own political party, Abu Baker said they would travel across the country and listen to people’s opinion on the matter.
Hasnat Abdullah, a key organiser of the movement, said, “They [the Awami League government] used every state machinery for Awami League’s fascism. Over the last 15 years, they made the culture of labelling people ‘Jamaat-Shibir’ to silence the voices of dissent.”
He said the AL made a “religion” and “portrayed Sheikh Mujib as a prophet”.
Hasnat said the AL established a culture in which Sheikh Mujib was beyond criticism and the people and the media had to accept it.
He said the media was gagged or controlled by the government.
“A news that is liked by the government is not a news, rather it is merely a press release. We now request journalists to question the authorities.”
He said, “Some people are now taking to the streets with various demands. Why did they not raise any question in the last 15 years? Now we have learnt to question the authorities and we have to keep this up.”
Hasnat said the constitution of 1972 was not a national constitution, rather it was AL’s constitution.
“We accepted it as the national constitution and through that the Awami League first sowed the seeds of fascism. We have to remain united, so that fascism never returns. Now that we are united, they are trying to create divisions.
“We need to set some principles and values to reorganise the state to make sure that fascism cannot return in any form. We expect a state where the people will not have to take to the streets to realise any demand.”
Daily Star
