Dhaka: Students continued to blockade highways and railways across the country on July 12 last year, protesting the police assault on demonstrators a day earlier. The protest was part of a larger movement demanding reforms to the quota system in government jobs.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the protesters, under the anti-discrimination student movement, held processions and rallies nationwide despite government warnings of stern action against those causing public disruptions. On July 11, police had used batons, tear gas, and blank shots to disperse protesters, injuring at least 50 students during the 'Bangla Blockade.'
In Dhaka, around 5 p.m. on July 12, several hundred Dhaka University students marched from the Central Library to Shahbagh intersection, blocking it for over an hour. They were later joined by students from Dhaka College. Rallying on campus earlier, they protested against the police's actions. Abu Baker Mojumder, a coordinator of the movement, announced plans for online and offline conferences to decide the next steps, with a press conference scheduled for July 13.
Elsewhere, students from various universities and colleges, including Jagannath University, Jahangirnagar University, and Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, organized protests and torch processions. In Rajshahi, students blocked the Dhaka-Rajshahi railway line, joined by peers from other local institutions.
In Chattogram, a protest march started from Sholoshohor railway station, involving students and job seekers. Similar actions took place in Rangpur, Cumilla, Mymensingh, and other regions, with students forming human chains and holding rallies.
Since July 1, 2024, students had been pressing for rational reforms to the quota system under the anti-discrimination student movement. On the night of July 12, a case was filed against protesters for alleged vandalism during the protests.
On that day, the then law minister Anisul Huq claimed that anti-independence forces might be behind the movement, urging students to heed the Supreme Court's directive. Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader suggested infiltration by anti-liberation forces. Meanwhile, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner warned of legal actions against any disruption in the name of the movement.