Protesting students at a rally attended by thousands in Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka on Saturday announced a one-point demand for the resignation of the government, shifting from their earlier position of a nine-point charter of demands seeking justice for victims of the quota reform movement that left over 200 killed in July.
Nahid Islam, one of the coordinators of the Student Movement Against Discrimination, a platform of protesting students, announced the one-point demand rejecting a call for dialogue made by prime minister Sheikh Hasina earlier in the day.
鈥榃e are saying clearly that it is not just enough for Sheikh Hasina to resign. Justice must be ensured for corruption, killings, disappearances, and looting in the country,鈥� said Nahid.
Nahid demanded that, besides the prime minister, all members of her cabinet resign immediately.
鈥楢 national outline for the transfer of power will be presented soon in consultation with representatives of citizens at all levels,鈥� Nahid said, also reiterating their call for all-out non-cooperation from today to press home their demand.
Home minister Asaduzzaman Khan later at a press conference on Saturday said that the protests were no longer limited to student protests but rather turned into a political movement.
Students continued their protests in many other places across the country on Saturday when they were attacked in Cumilla, allegedly by activists of the ruling party and in associate bodies.
Protesters also clashed with police in Gazipur, which left at least one protester killed, said the district鈥檚 police superintendent, Qazi Shafiqul Alam.
In Dhaka, police, however, were hardly seen creating any barriers for the students, who were joined by a cross-section of people at the Central Shaheed Minar.
Speaking at the rally, Nahid, who appeared as the de facto leader of the protests, said that they would form a new Bangladesh with equality, justice, and human dignity through the mass uprising of students and people.
He also promised to make such a political settlement so that autocracy and fascism could never return.
鈥楯ustice must be ensured for all murders, and all听 political prisoners will be freed,鈥� he said, giving a fresh 24-hour ultimatum to reopen campuses and dormitories.
If the authorities do not reopen the campuses by this time, the students will take responsibility in their hands to reopen the residential halls.
He said that they would form a Student Action Committee with the leaders of the Student Movement Against Discrimination.
鈥榃e will also form a Jatiya Sangram Parishad comprising people from all sectors, regardless of socio-political identities,鈥� he added.
Thousands of people, including students, teachers, parents, lawyers, and civil society representatives in Dhaka and other places on Saturday took to the streets demanding the resignation of Sheikh Hasina for killing students and general people.
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Trader killed in Gazipur
A trader was killed in a clash between police and protesting students on Saturday afternoon at Mauna Chowrasta at Sreepur upazila in Gazipur district, confirmed the local police super without giving details.
Kajol Mia, a neighbour, identified the victim as Jahangir Alam, 45, a trader hailing from Satkhira district.
He said that the victim was at his shop during the clash.
鈥業 came to know that he was lying injured on a road. Students rescued him, but he died on his way to the hospital,鈥� he said.
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10 hurt in Cumilla
抖阴精品 correspondent in Cumilla reported that at least 10 people were injured, including two hit by bullets, as ruling party student wing Bangladesh Chhatra League members attacked the protesters in the district, leading to a clash.
The incident took place in front of the city鈥檚 Police Line crossing and Zilla School around 1:00pm.
During the clash, police were seen firing blanks at the students, while the general students blamed the Chhatra League for the incident.
Hasanur Rahman, a student, alleged that the Chhatra League launched an unprovoked attack with weapons on their peaceful protest programme.
Nur Mohammad Sohel, president of the city unit Chhatra League, accused the activists of the now-banned Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatra Shibir of joining the movement under the guise of general students.
Peace-loving students resisted them, he said, denying the allegation of shooting at protesters.
Additional superintendent of police Ashfaquzzaman said that police took the protesters to safety.
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House of politicians attacked in Ctg听
抖阴精品 staff correspondent in Chattogram reported that the protestors attacked the Chashmahill residence of education minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury after a procession in the city.
The activists of the ruling Awami League and its associate bodies later allegedly attacked the house of several BNP leaders, including standing committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury.听
Earlier in the day, thousands of people from all walks of life gathered at the New Market crossing and chanted slogans demanding the resignation of prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
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All roads lead to Shaheed Minar
In Dhaka, protesters took positions in the Rampura, Badda, and Science Laboratory areas before they all moved to the Central Shaheed Minar areas, which practically turned into a human sea by the afternoon.
People chanted slogans, asking the prime minister to resign and demanding justice for the July killings.听
Students blocked Shahbagh crossing at about 7:00pm bringing protest processions from Central Shaheed Minar.
They stayed in Shahbagh until this report was filed at 9:00pm.
Students blocked the Dhaka-Chattogram highway in the Jatrabari area at about 5:00pm.
Students of different universities, including BRAC University, North South University, East West University, and United International University, took to the streets in the Rampura and Badda areas amid the heavy presence of police.
Some parents were also seen accompanying their children.
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Clashes in other districts
In Faridpur, at least eight protesters were injured as clashes broke out between police and protesters in front of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical College Hospital in Bhanga crossing.
Witnesses said that students of the medical college gathered on their campus for a protest march around 10:45am and were soon joined by students from other educational institutions.
A clash broke out after supporters of the ruling party attacked the group with sticks and bricks in the Goalchamot area.
抖阴精品 correspondent in Tangail reported that at least 11 people, including three police personnel, were injured during a clash between students and police along with people from the ruling party.
In Jamalpur, at least 10 protestors were injured in attacks allegedly carried out by police and ruling party activists at the high school crossing in Jamalpur town.
抖阴精品 Jahangirnagar University correspondent reported that students of several educational institutions blocked the Dhaka-Aricha highway in Savar, protesting the killing of their fellows during the movement seeking reform of quotas in government services.
Undeterred by the incessant rain, the students began their march around 12:30pm from Jahangirnagar University鈥檚 Mahuatala area.
About 1,000 JU students were joined by students of BPATC School and College, Savar Model College, in the protest rally.
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Journalists demand justice
Holding a procession in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka, journalist leaders have called for the government鈥檚 resignation following the killing of four journalists across the country during the quota reform protests.
The rally was organised by a faction of the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists and the Dhaka Union of Journalists.
Sports journalists organised a rally in front of Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, demanding justice for the recent killings.
Family members of retired military officers also held a rally in the DOHS area in Mirpur, seeking justice for the killings.
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Thousands of students of different private universities, including BRAC University, North South University and United International University, take to the streets, demanding immediate resignation of prime minister Sheikh Hasina for killing students and general people, at Badda in the capital on Saturday. 鈥� 抖阴精品 photo 听
People gather on New Market Road in Chattogram on Saturday prior to their mass procession demanding the resignation of prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her minsters for killing students and general people during the July protests. 鈥� Focus Bangla photo