The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement has made a single-point demand for the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her cabinet. Nahid Islam, the coordinator of the organization, announced this at the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka.
Nahid gave a speech to the assembled students and people at the Shaheed Minar on Saturday (August 3) afternoon. He said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her cabinet must resign.
He also said they will enforce the non-cooperation movement starting from tomorrow.
The announcement came after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina called upon the agitating students to sit with her at Gono Bhaban to end the violence centring the quota reform protests.
“Doors of Gono Bhaban are open. I want to sit with the agitating students and listen to them. I want no conflict,” she said.
The prime minister made the remarks in a morning meeting with the central leaders of the Peshajibi Somonnoy Parishad (Professionals Coordination Council) at Gono Bhaban.
She also asked the authorities concerned to release the detained general students.
The prime minister assured of holding a trial of each killing during the anti-quota protest.
“Trial of each of the killings must be held,” she said.
“I am telling again that I still want to hold talks if the agitators want. They can come any time (to Gono Bhaban). If required, they can come with their guardians,” she said.
Earlier today, at around 2:45 pm, several thousand protesters including students, who blocked the Science Lab intersection and Shahbagh, marched to Shaheed Minar.
They reached Shaheed Minar around 4:15 pm.
Later, braving rain, thousands of people from different parts of the capital thronged the Central Shaheed Minar this afternoon to join the rally, protesting the killings during the quota reform protests and release of all the arrested and detained students and people alongside pressing on the single-point demand.
Additionally, protests happened in various places in the country including Kushtia.
The single-point declaration of the quota reform movement states that, since indiscriminate genocide has been carried out under the current government’s orders, no one—neither women, children, students, teachers, nor workers—has been spared from this genocide; since the government, instead of prosecuting these killings, has been arresting and torturing students and the public indiscriminately, and since the law enforcement agencies of the government have carried out the killings using deadly firearms, and since the general public, including students, teachers, and workers, believe that impartial justice and investigation are not possible under this government, we are announcing the single-point demand for the resignation of the current autocratic government.
With that, there is also a demand for the formation of an acceptable and inclusive national government under the leadership of an individual acceptable to all.
Meanwhile, Obaidul Quader announced that Saturday’s mourning procession has been moved to Monday, with a march from the Engineers Institution to Bangabandhu Bhaban. He cited inclement weather and a desire to avoid confrontation as reasons for the change.
Obaidul Quader said, “We are now planning new programs for August 5, the birthday of Bangabandhu’s eldest son Sheikh Kamal, although the pain of his death overshadows the celebration of his birth. We have scheduled a new program for Sunday.”
He also criticized BNP for repeatedly failing politically and attempting to use movements to overthrow the government using various influences, stating the government is handling provocations with patience and restraint.
