Rangpur: Thousands of freedom-loving students and public took to the streets in Rangpur on August 5, 2024, to celebrate the epic victory against fascism as they heard that fascist Sheikh Hasina had resigned and fled the country.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, despite the inclement weather, people of all ages in Rangpur city, like in other regions of the country, took to the streets at that unique historical moment of an epic change. The absence of law enforcement agencies was notable during the joyous celebration.
From the afternoon, Rangpur was bustling with jubilant students and citizens who filled the streets with slogans, waving national flags. The news of Hasina’s departure led to an instant crowd on the main roads around 3 pm. Various anti-fascist organizations, including BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and their affiliates, organized processions, distributing sweets and offering prayers.
From rural areas to the city, people participated in victory processions, arriving by trucks, pickups, easy bikes, or on foot. By 3:30 pm, joyous processions spread across the city, turning Rangpur into a city of processions, with people dancing in the rain.
By 4 pm, a massive victory procession started from the Rangpur Town Hall area, culminating at ‘Martyr Abu Sayeed Chattar’ near Begum Rokeya University, where tens of thousands gathered. They observed moments of silence, sang the national anthem, and chanted protest slogans.
Students expressed that discrimination and injustice were intolerable, citing historical resistance against linguistic imposition by Pakistani rulers and the violent response of the Hasina regime to student demands. Rahmat Ali, a leading student coordinator at Begum Rokeya University, shared his unforgettable experience of witnessing the public’s joy on August 5.
The previous day, the city echoed with demands for Hasina’s resignation, culminating in violent clashes where four Awami terrorists died. This led to a victorious silence and a march through significant city areas and control of the Rangpur highway during the Long March to Dhaka on August 5.
The students and public continuously protested, ousted the regime, and achieved victory, setting an example of sacrifice, including martyr Abu Sayeed, that the nation will remember.