Dhaka: On this day back in 2024, people from all walks of life gathered at the base of Central Shaheed Minar in the city, waiting for the final call to oust the Sheikh Hasina-led government.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Nahid Islam, then the chief coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement (ADSM) and now the convener of the National Citizen Party (NCP), declared nationwide non-cooperation until the government resigns. The early nine-point demand transformed into a singular demand for the government to step down, as protesters believed it lacked legitimacy due to the violence against them.
Different parts of the country, especially divisional cities, witnessed protests against the government, condemning killings, attacks, and arrests. Around 3:30 pm, ADSM coordinators arrived at the Shaheed Minar, where a rally was underway. At around 5:30 pm, Nahid Islam announced the one-point demand before thousands, calling for the government's fall.
Nahid stated, "To ensure safety of lives and establish justice in society, we have reached the decision of a one-point demand. The demand is the fall of this government, including Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the abolition of fascism." Sheikh Hasina had invited students for dialogue earlier that morning, to which Nahid responded, "You open the door and wait. We are not coming for dialogue; we are coming to oust you."
Nahid also announced a programme of nationwide non-cooperation. Protesters burnt effigies of Sheikh Hasina in front of the Shaheed Minar. Elsewhere in Dhaka, musicians held a protest gathering at Rabindra Sarobar in Dhanmondi, also calling for the government's resignation.
On the same day, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir issued a statement urging the government to step down and calling on law enforcement to avoid using force against students. He urged the government to accept the students' demands without delay.
The anti-government movement originated from a student-led protest against a High Court decision to reinstate quotas in government jobs. As protests expanded across campuses and the country, the government applied force, resulting in casualties. The movement evolved into an uprising that led to the fall of Sheikh Hasina on August 5, 2024.