London, July 22, 2024 — Thousands of Bangladeshi expatriates gathered at London’s Trafalgar Square in a massive protest rally organized by the Aggression and Discrimination Resisting Movement. Starting from Altab Ali Park in Tower Hamlets, East London, the rally made its way to the British Parliament, passing through the bustling streets of central London and culminating at Trafalgar Square.
The protestors, waving Bangladeshi flags and holding various banners and festoons, filled Trafalgar Square to capacity, with participants spilling into nearby alleys. Chanting anti-discriminatory slogans, the demonstrators called for the resignation of Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Slogans like “We demand immediate resignation of autocrat Sheikh Hasina,” “There is no refuge for the killers in the soil of Bengal,” and “My brother has been killed; killers have no respite” echoed through the square.
The rally saw participation from activists of Bangladeshi political parties including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, as well as various social, cultural, and human rights groups.
Emotional Speeches and Calls for Action
Speakers at the rally delivered impassioned speeches, condemning the actions of the Bangladesh Awami League and the police. They accused the authorities of attacking, killing, and torturing unarmed students, drawing parallels to state-sponsored terrorism.
“Innocent students are our children, brothers, and sisters. Instead of listening to their pleas, Sheikh Hasina’s regime has tortured and killed them,” one speaker said, visibly emotional. “Over 200 young people have been killed by state-sponsored terrorists and Awami goons. Hundreds more have been arrested, and the injured are being denied proper treatment and help.”
The speakers also accused armed police and ruling party activists of attacking injured protesters in hospitals, likening their actions to those of Israeli attackers.
A Call for Unity and Resistance
The rally’s organizers pleaded with Bangladeshi expatriates worldwide to join the movement against what they described as the tyranny of the Bangladesh government. They predicted that the downfall of Sheikh Hasina’s regime was imminent, likening their struggle to the liberation war of 1971.
“This is the second liberation war of 2024. We will succeed, and fascist Sheikh Hasina and her ministers will not escape justice,” a speaker declared.
As the rally concluded, the message was clear: the Bangladeshi expatriate community in London remains united and resolute in their fight for justice and democracy in Bangladesh.
