Thousands of Bangladeshis gathered in Dhaka on Tuesday for a “March for Unity” to commemorate the student-led uprising five months ago that ousted long-serving Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and to honor the over 1,000 lives lost during the unrest.
The Students Against Discrimination (SAD), the group behind the protests, refrained from demanding constitutional changes at the rally after the interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, announced plans to draft a “Proclamation of the July Revolution.” This document aims to honor the sacrifices of protesters and encapsulate the nation’s aspirations for reform.
Yunus’s press office confirmed that the interim government would seek national consensus for the declaration, focusing on unity, state reform, and the goals of the uprising. It expressed optimism that the proclamation would be finalized soon.
Students from across the country joined the rally, alongside families of those who lost their lives during the protests. Carrying national flags and chanting slogans against Hasina, participants demanded justice and reform.
Abul Hasan, whose son Shahriar, a ninth-grader, was killed in the protests, shared his grief at the rally: “Our tears will never stop; this pain will never end.”
The uprising, initially sparked by opposition to public sector job quotas, grew into a nationwide movement against Hasina’s government. The violence culminated on August 5 when Hasina resigned and fled to India as protesters stormed her residence. The unrest became Bangladesh’s deadliest since the 1971 independence war.
An interim government, including two student representatives, was established to restore stability and prepare for elections. Yunus has indicated that elections could take place by late 2025.
