Following the overthrow of the government by the student and people’s uprising in July, the Sholoshahar area of Chittagong city has once again become a hotspot for protests. The anti-discrimination student movement, which played a role in toppling the government, has returned to the streets to resist extortion, syndicates, looting, and all forms of harassment and injustice.
On Wednesday, September 4th, starting at 11:00 AM, students began a protest at the Sholoshahar Railway Station. As previously announced, they held their protest from morning until 12:00 PM in the station’s premises. During this time, the Sholoshahar Railway Station area was filled with slogans as students voiced their demands.
The protest was organized under the leadership of Russell Ahmed, the central coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement in Chittagong, and his deputy, Khan Talat Mahmud Rafi. They warned that the movement would continue until extortion, syndicates, looting, and harassment are completely stopped.
They said, “The Bangladesh we have achieved through the blood of thousands of students cannot allow any syndicates, extortion, looting, or chaos. We will not allow anyone to lead this state into corruption by trampling over the blood of Abu Sayeed, Mugdha, and Wasim. We have all shed blood to achieve this Bangladesh, not for any personal gain. We will collectively resist anyone involved in syndicates.”
Earlier, in July, the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement began protesting under their banner, demanding reforms to the quota system in government job recruitment. Although the protests started peacefully across the country, including in Chittagong, violence erupted on July 16th. Three people, including Wasim Akram, were killed in the violence that day. Subsequently, two people died on July 18th, one person died while receiving treatment on July 23rd, one more on July 25th, another on August 3rd, and one in a private hospital on August 4th. On August 5th, three more people died in the violence that spread after news of the government’s fall, bringing the total death toll to 12.
