News Flash
DHAKA, July 27, 2025 (BSS) - The anti-discrimination student movement on July 28 last year carried out a nationwide graffiti drawing and wall writing campaigns as well as a mass public outreach programme both online and offline to press home their pre-declared three-point demands.
Earlier, on July 27, they declared the programmes with a 24-hour ultimatum to meet their demands that included immediate release of all detained students including movement coordinators, withdrawal of all cases filed against students and taking action against those responsible for killing students during the movement.
However, in the capital, police obstructed the protesters while carrying out graffiti drawing and wall writing campaigns highlighting the fiery spirit of the July resistance against the law enforcers' crackdown on the demonstrators.
Police intervened in the campaign while cartoonists and fine arts students of Dhaka University (DU) were drawing graffiti in the Central Shaheed Minar and Palashi areas and seized the protesters' painting equipment, halting their efforts midway.
The graffiti featured the stories of martyrs during the quota reform movement, including a child Riya Gope.
Different universities, including East West University in the capital, Jahangirnagar University (JU) in Savar, Chattogram University (CU), Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) in Sylhet, across the country conducted the campaign.
The SUST students painted a picture of Abu Sayeed spreading his arms wide open depicting the way of scenario how he was shot unarmed by police from a close distance.
The graffiti carried slogans like: "Sonar Bangla Aj Mrittyupuri Keno?", "Amar Bhaider Marli Keno?" "Save The Country, Join The Fight", "Ak Dike Natok Kore, Onno Dike Gum Kore", "52 Dekhini, 24 Dekhechhi" and "Hamar Betak Marlu Kene?"
However, the six coordinators, who were in the custody of Detective Branch (DB) police, appeared in a video message from the DB office that night with Nahid Islam announcing the withdrawal of the movement.
But other student protesters rejected the announcement, saying that "Nahid was forced to announce the withdrawal" while a photo surfaced on social media showing the coordinators seated at a dinner table with food in front of them with Additional Commissioner of DB Police Harun-Ur-Rashid.
Earlier on the day, when family members of the detained coordinators wanted to meet them at the DB office, police officials didn't allow them.
However, another coordinator Nusrat Tabassum, was taken into DB custody early that morning. Her family reported that police broke into a house in Mirpur and detained her.
Besides, the same night, Abdul Kader, another coordinator of the movement, issued a statement declaring fresh protest programmes and rallies across the country for the next day (July 29).
Around 4pm, teachers and students of Jahangirnagar University held a rally protesting the abduction of the movement's coordinators, demanding the immediate release of Arif Sohel, a key coordinator from JU.
Around 11 pm, when the news spread that the detained coordinators in the DB police were tortured and forced to give statement withdrawing the protest, students from all universities and colleges in Dhaka declared a renewed nationwide street mobilization for July 29.
On social media, students from campuses across the country reaffirmed their commitment to continue the movement until their pre-declared nine-point demand is met that included apology from the deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
On July 28, mobile internet service, which had been suspended for ten days across the country, was restored, but social media like Facebook, WhatsApp and TikTok remained blocked.
On the same day, in a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the government noticed the concerns expressed by civil society groups and some international partners over the unrest and terrorist activities in Bangladesh.
Besides, US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu stated that senior US officials had communicated with Bangladesh's leadership, urging peaceful resolution to the crisis stemming from the quota reform movement.
He said that the US had expressed concern over imposing curfew and ordering "shoot at sight" through the State Department spokesperson.
On July 28, Sheikh Hasina visited injured police personnel at the Rajarbagh Central Police Hospital, who were wounded during the quota reform protests.
Later, she visited now Bangladesh Medical University (BMU), the then BSMMU, and inquired about wellbeing of the people injured in the movement.
Earlier that morning, at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), Sheikh Hasina handed over cheque for Taka 10 lakh each to the families of 34 people, who were killed in the protests, including Abu Sayeed.
However, the members of law enforcement agencies were carrying out nationwide mass arrest on charge of conducting destructive activities during the quota reform movement.
According to media reports, as of that day, 10,028 individuals had been arrested across the country, including 2,764 in Dhaka alone. The capital witnessed 22 new cases filed that day, bringing the total number of cases in Dhaka to 229.
Besides, Left Democratic Alliance, Anti-Fascist Left Alliance and JASAD Bangladesh urged the government to disclose the full list of those, who were killed or injured during the unrest, and called for justice against those responsible for the killings.
Deposed home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, however, stated that so far, 147 people were killed during the quota reform protest until July 28, 2024.
On the same day, the Islami Andolon Bangladesh declared that arbitrary killings, mass arrests, and politically motivated charges must be stopped immediately.
