News Flash
By Arbak Aditto
Dhaka, July 15, 2025 (BSS) - Lamia Islam is one of the July daughters who fought from the forefront against the tyrannical Sheikh Hasina government during the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement in 2024.
Politically conscious since childhood, Lamia now studies at the city's Prime University. She is the convener of the Rashtra Sanskar Chhatra Andolan.
She joined the quota reform movement from the very beginning. With a two-day pause for her marriage on July 12 and 13, she rejoined the movement on July 14. It was tough to convince her in-laws because of the special occasion, but her husband understood her outrage and let her take to the streets. With bridal mehendi still fresh on her hands, she braved the streets again along with other protesters.
Lamia shared her firsthand experience of the July Uprising in an exclusive interview with Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS).
BSS: As a woman, have you faced any barriers in entering politics?
Lamia Islam: I entered politics with a dream of reforming the state and the education system. And no one's going to come and do this reform for us. We have to do it ourselves. Since our birth, this country has been looted. One might say, "Constitutionally looted." Loopholes and manipulations in the law have structurally turned governments in this region into oppressors rather than servants of the people. So, reforming this entire system has become urgent.
I got involved in politics to literally build the state for the people. And when I decided to join politics, it was during the peak of fascism in Bangladesh. No one could speak up for their rights. If someone did, there was no form of abuse or intimidation they weren't subjected to. Of course, that's left its scars.
How did you become involved in the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement?
Lamia Islam: I was already active in political struggles. I've been involved with the Rashtra Sanskar Andolan. We've previously organized political programs jointly with other student organizations opposing Awami fascism. When the quota reform movement began, I was connected to the leadership from the beginning.
We believed our unity would free us from the tyranny of Awami fascism. So whenever opportunities arose, we participated. The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement was one such platform, from which the 2024 Uprising took shape. That umbrella brought us together. The movement began in June. I joined from the beginning, hit the streets, joined rallies, and stayed in constant contact with leaders at various levels. I got married during the movement.
Yes, you wrote on Facebook that you joined the movement two days after your wedding.
Lamia Islam: There's a slight mistake. I didn't join two days after my wedding-I only took a two-day break for the wedding. I had been part of the movement from the beginning. My wedding was on July 12. Even before that, I did my wedding shopping and joined rallies with shopping bags in hand. I took part in blockade programmes. On the wedding day and the following day, I couldn't physically be at the movement grounds, but I stayed active online and in other ways. Within two days of the wedding, I just couldn't stay away from the streets.
You surely know how difficult it is for a newlywed bride to step outside her in-laws' house during that time. So I had to leave the house making up false excuses. I got help from my husband in this. My bridal mehendi was still fresh-bright red, hadn't even faded. And yet, I was back at the rallies. With mehendi-stained hands, I held placards; I got hit with tear gas. This emotion-this feeling-cannot be explained now. The addiction to freedom makes everything else seem so trivial.
That time was full of uncertainty and fear. Police would stop and check students' phones on sight to see if they were involved in the movement.
So I started following a tactic: whenever I left the house, I'd write down my name, my mother's number, my husband's number, and our address on a piece of paper. Because I didn't know if I'd make it back alive. What if I got shot and died on the street? I did it so that at least my family would be able to identify my body.
You were involved with the 'Anti-Fascist Student Unity'. How did that experience help during the July Uprising?
Lamia Islam: Yes, several organizations were part of the Anti-Fascist Student Unity. But July was something else entirely. It was an explosion of people's anger. We didn't have to do much-just continue the movement. We knew that if we could hold our ground on the streets, more people would join.
The repression by Chhatra League, Jubo League, and Awami League-any human being would be moved by it. People came out to protect their children. Sisters came out to protect their brothers. And once that tide of people started flowing, no one could stop it. Really, no one could. If you want to talk about experience, then it was this: standing firm in the face of armed attacks. If you stand bravely, you'll see others stand with you. As you chase the attackers away, you'll see thousands appear from nowhere to join you.
Is there any particular memory from July that still haunts you?
Lamia Islam: On August 2, I got caught in a clash at Shahbagh. Bullets were being fired. Two people collapsed on the road right in front of my eyes. Death, right before my eyes. I still get scared remembering that.
Rashtra Sanskar Andolan has been working for state reforms for a long time. Now that the opportunity has come, what kind of state do you want to see?
Lamia Islam: We want to build a people's state, a state where the government isn't above the law. We need laws that will hold any ruling power accountable, no matter who they are. Power shouldn't be concentrated in the hands of one person. No one should be able to launder money at will. Public interest must be central in policymaking.
We want to build a safe country for all citizens regardless of gender, religion, race, or ethnicity. The government must guarantee security for every citizen. There will be freedom of speech. There will be politics, but not the kind based on goons and muscle power. Real power will lie with the citizens. If we can build an accountable state structure, only then can we truly create a citizen-friendly country.
What's your assessment of post-uprising Bangladesh?
Lamia Islam: One of the biggest hopes of the uprising was radical change in the state system-to abolish the old structure, scrap anti-people laws, and rebuild dismantled institutions.
Immediate medical support must be arranged for the July injured. The July Charter must be delivered. The constitution and legal frameworks need to be reformed. The seeds of fascism must be rooted out and brought to justice.
