Soon Wednesday night, a strange scene unfolded in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi place. Hundreds of students gathered, lighting candles to honor those who had fallen and injured during what is now referred to as the” July Revolution” in Bangladesh, which led to the end of Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year authoritarian rule.
First, the students observed the day in solitude, with the flashing candlelight creating a melancholy atmosphere. In a fitting tribute to the more than 400 people who have lost their lives recently, they sang grave music afterwards. Although the occurrence, organized by students from various institutions, appeared to be a remembrance, it carried a deeper information.
” It’s a message to the relics of a totalitarian authoritarian government that we remain vigilant”, said Abu Hamza Tareq, a scholar from a private school. ” The Awami League, despite their terrible fall from power, is nevertheless trying to create conflict and disturb the country”.
Reports and social media chatter have suggested that the Awami League might attempt a” counterrevolution” on August 15 to overthrow the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus. Immediately, some Awami League leaders and protesters emerged from hiding, issuing calling to organize on the roads.
August 15 has been observed as National Mour ping Day in Bangladesh for the past 15 times during Hasina’s career, commemorating the death of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Hasina’s parents and a key figure in Bangladesh’s independence war of 1971, along with most of his family members.
Sajeeb Wazed Joy, Hasina’s boy who lives in the US and has been giving conversations to Indian press since his family’s overthrowing, has called on group members to recover. ” The Awami League has n’t been defeated, it remains a party of the people”, he stated.
Hasina urged her followers to “pray for the compassion of beings by laying decorative bouquets at the photograph of the nation’s father, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman,” at Bangabandhu Bhaban in Dhanmondi, Dhaka, in her first speech since being removed from power.
According to reports, Awami League supporters and activists have been given instructions to obtain in Dhaka to maintain a high attendance for this event. If they convene in the money, it will be their second major assemblage that since Hasina’s treatment. But, students, protesters, and other political parties perceive this not only as a mourning function but as a possible try to destroy the country’s emerging interim state.
Riding on minority issues
Concerns about August 15 have gotten more out on social media, thanks to a number of rallies held by the nation’s minority Hindu community in recent days. These demonstrations in Dhaka have prompted the new interim government to make a number of demands, including the creation of special tribunals to speed up the trial of those who persecute minorities, the reserving of 10 % of parliamentary seats for minorities, and the passage of a law enacting a minority protection law. Significant traffic disruptions were the result of the rallies, which took place in Shahbagh in central Dhaka, for two days straight.
Since August 5, Hindu temples, homes, and businesses have been targeted, and at least two Hindu leaders affiliated with the Awami League, Sheikh Hasina’s former party, have been killed. It is important to note that nearly 150 people, including Awami League members, police, and protesters, have been killed in the violence following Hasina’s removal.
Nabila Idris, a university teacher, expressed support for the minority community’s right to protest and seek justice for the violence its members have suffered since Hasina’s fall. She worries, however, that the violence against minorities is being seen through a communal lens rather than a political one.
According to Idris,” some Indian media outlets have exaggerated the violence against minorities and spread false reports, such as those that claim that dozens of Hindus have been killed in Bangladesh.” This appears to be an attempt to destabilize the interim government. I have a strong suspicion that Awami League leaders and activists are attempting to sway the issue by backing their own agenda.
The protesting students, the main catalysts behind the July revolution, remain vigilant, like Tareq.
On Wednesday afternoon, hundreds of students assembled at Shahbag Square in Dhaka for the” Rally of Harmony”, organized by various student groups. Student leaders on stage at the rally not only emphasized Bangladesh’s long history of communal harmony, where people of various religions have coexisted peacefully for generations, but also conveyed the message that they are prepared to fight against “any evil force” that” tries to destabilize” the nation once more.
Ritu, a university student, joined her friend in chanting slogans at the event. She expressed her concerns that the ousted Awami League might attempt to resurrect by attempting to target innocent people and religious minorities. ” Our revolution is still in its early stages”, she stated. Our adversaries are using violence to make a comeback, but we remain vigilant on the streets.
According to Arif Sohel, a student leader from Dhaka’s Jahangirnagar University,” Given the timing of August 15, the Chhatra League and Jubo League might take advantage of the situation to blame the protesters.” ” We’ve seen the Awami League’s propaganda media stoking these fears. They are attempting to derail our movement by spreading false accounts of attacks on minorities.
Arif emphasized that they will continue to shield minority groups and their places of worship from potential harm. Additionally, they are staging road marches in their honor’s name, lighting candles at the scene of a student’s demise, and holding memorial prayers there.
We worry that they might cause chaos and stifle the lives of regular people. We will continue to demand justice against the fascist Awami League and will be on the streets to stop these plots, Arif added.
Akhter Hossain, a prominent student leader, addressed the Shahbag rally on Wednesday, expressing concern about the Awami League and its student wing, Chhatra League, noting their history of carrying live weapons. The live ammunition they previously carried was never recovered. With such armament, they could act at any moment”, Akhter warned.
While he was skeptical about the Awami League’s current capacity to mobilize a large crowd, he stated,” We will remain on the streets to prevent any attempts at conspiracy”.
Does the Awami League currently have the capacity?
In addition to student organizations, various political parties have organized gatherings throughout the capital and throughout the nation. The August 15 public holiday has been canceled.
” Awami League is a long-established political force. We firmly believe that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s ( BNP ) leader’s current leadership is what caused their demise, said Tabith Awal of the BNP. We ca n’t foresee what the Awami League might do or whether it will resurrect. But if they choose to, they certainly have the capability”, he added.
Not everyone is alarmed despite the increased tensions that surround August 15.
” Barking dogs seldom bite”, said Shahab Enam Khan, a professor of International Relations at Jahangirnagar University. Professor Khan argued that the chances of violence on August 15 are slim unless there is an external effort to incite chaos despite the Awami League’s removal from power and the BNP’s prospects looking promising.
” I’m not sure whether the Awami League will achieve the comeback they are hoping to achieve. The BNP will likely seek to avoid discrediting themselves, so while there may be some displays of strength, widespread violence seems unlikely”, Khan stated, adding,” However, the government must remain vigilant about any external influences on the situation”.
The University of Dhaka professor of anthropology Zobaida Nasreen stressed the value of allowing visitors to pay their respects to Sheikh Mujib on August 15th.
” August 15 is a day of mourning, and Sheikh Mujib is deeply associated with our struggle for independence. I do not support undermining Sheikh Mujib due to Sheikh Hasina’s downfall”, she said. Through this uprising,” We are working to create a new and reformed Bangladesh,” she continued, and all parties involved must work together to stop a new wave of violence from erupting.
Meanwhile, as tensions and rallies persist across Bangladesh, there are increasing calls for a trial of Sheikh Hasina. The former prime minister had already been charged with murder, and on Wednesday a new case was brought before the International Crimes Tribunal ( ICT) accused of killing Hasina and eight others during the student protests of July 15 and August 5. The charges relate to alleged genocide, crimes against humanity, and murder.
Sheikh Hasina should be tried in Bangladesh, according to Tabith Awal. ” Since Sheikh Hasina’s alleged crimes occurred in Bangladesh and the accusations are from Bangladeshis, she should be tried under Bangladeshi law”, Awal said.
Faisal Mahmud and Masum Billah are reporters based in Dhaka.