File Photo

By Md Mamun Islam
 
RANGPUR, August 4, 2025 (BSS) - Thousands of freedom-loving students and public took to the streets in Rangpur on August 5, 2024 to celebrate the epic victory against fascism as they heard that fascist Sheikh Hasina had resigned and fled the country.
 
Ignoring the inclement weather, children, teenagers, youth, elderly and people of all ages in Rangpur city, like in other regions of the country, took to the streets at that unique historical moment of an epic change in the country.
 
However, the presence of any law enforcement agencies was not observed in the city during the joyous celebration. 
 
Since the afternoon, the entire city of Rangpur had been occupied by the jubilant students and the public. They kept the streets bustling with various slogans with national flags in their hands. 
 
It was seen on the ground that when the news of Hasina's departure spread, the main roads of the city instantly became crowded with people around 3 pm. 
 
In different parts of the city, processions were also taken out by anti-fascist organizations including BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, their affiliated organisations and many other institutions. 
 
Sweets were distributed from the processions at various places. In some places, students and the public also offered prayers to express their gratitude to the Almighty Allah. 
 
From the villages of Rangpur to the city, students and the public rejoiced in the rain in the victory processions following the news of Sheikh Hasina's resignation and departure from the country in the face of the student-public mass uprising. 

Students and the public entered the city in dozens of processions from various rural areas, in trucks, pickups and easy bikes or on foot.

At around 3:30 pm, people took out joyous processions in the city's various areas including Shapla Chattar, Paira Chattar, Lalbag Chattar, Park Mour and Shaheed Abu Sayeed Chattar, Modern Mour, Press Club Chattar, Jahaz Company More, Town Hall Chattar, Zilla School Mour and other places. 

It was seen on the spots that day, the slogans of the students and common people on the streets turned Rangpur into a city of processions. 

They gathered there and kept raising various slogans. At this time, they were seen dancing in the rain while waving the national flag. 

At 4 pm, the students and public took out a massive victory procession from the Rangpur Town Hall area, ignoring the rain. 

After passing through the city's main street, the procession came to 'Martyr Abu Sayeed Chattar' in front of Begum Rokeya University where tens of thousands of students gathered. 

At this time, salutes were displayed in memory of martyr Abu Sayeed, three minutes of silence was observed, the national anthem was sung and various protest slogans were raised in chorus. 

Addressing the historical moment, the students said that discrimination and injustice cannot be tolerated for long. The Pakistani rulers wanted to force their language Urdu on us but they couldn't. 

They said the police of the fascist and genocidal Sheikh Hasina regime opened fire on students for raising reasonable demands against quotas. The authoritarian regime fell because of the oppression of the students. 

Talking to BSS today, Rahmat Ali, a leading student coordinator of Begum Rokeya University and a fellow fighter of martyr Abu Sayeed, said that he would never forget the heavenly level of joy as he witnessed among the students and public on August 5.

He said, "The taste of freedom in the pouring rain, tears of hundreds of happy people, prayers of thanksgiving, the scene of all the processions from different areas of the city gathering at Sayeed Chattar...that scene is still vivid in my mind." 

On that victorious evening, he wandered around at the Martyr Abu Sayeed Chattar alone, leaving his friends and fellow July fighters behind, to see the joy of victory in the faces of the people. It seemed unforgettable and miraculous to him.

On August 4, as usual, the Town Hall ground and streets of Rangpur city trembled with slogans demanding the resignation of fascist Hasina. 

The terrorists of Awami League and its allies came to give the last death blow to the students and public with weapons and firearms at the Rangpur City Bazar and adjoining areas when four Awami terrorists lost their lives in the mass beating of protesters.

"After that, a victorious silence descended over the entire Rangpur city. With this wave of thousands of people, we went to the DC intersection, Lalkuthi, Check Post and Medical Mour areas of the city," he said. 
 
"We took control of the Rangpur highway during implementation of the Long March to Dhaka on August 5 when we heard the news of Hasina's escape. Thousands of people took to the Rangpur streets to cheer," he said, crying with joy. 

The students and people have continuously protested, ousted the fascist regime and archived the victory. This nation will remember the example of the sacrifice of all the martyred brothers and sisters, including martyr Abu Sayeed.