Events in Bangladesh from July 32 to 35 (August 2-4):
1. 90 Killed in 18 Districts: On the first day of the anti-discrimination student movement’s non-cooperation campaign, Sunday (August 4), from noon to evening, 70 people were killed in 18 districts. The casualties included 3 in Munshiganj, 4 in Magura, 3 in Pabna, 4 in Rangpur, 19 (including 13 police officers) in Sirajganj, 1 in Barisal, 3 in Bhola, 2 in Bogra, 1 in Joypurhat, 8 in Feni, 3 in Kishoreganj, 1 in Debidwar of Comilla, 6 in Narsingdi, 2 in Sylhet, 4 in Lakshmipur, 3 in Sherpur, 2 in Habiganj, and 1 in Ashulia of Savar, Dhaka.
The following video shows how police drives into crowd and kills at least two.
2. Curfew Rejected by Coordinators: The government imposed a curfew from 6 PM today for an indefinite period to control the law and order situation. The coordinators of the movement have rejected the curfew. Coordinator Asif Mahmud announced an emergency decision to change the “March to Dhaka” program from August 6 to August 5 and called for a non-cooperation movement by the anti-discrimination student movement.
3. Jamuna TV Shut Down for Reporting the Movement: Jamuna TV’s 7 PM bulletin was not broadcast, with newsroom sources indicating “pressure from above.” Similarly, Desh TV, Channel 24, and News 24 have reported intermittent transmission interruptions. There is also pressure to remove various content from social media.
4. Interim Government Proposal: Led by Professor Anu Muhammad, the University Teachers’ Network proposed a five-point outline for forming an interim government to resolve the crisis arising from the student movement and the resulting violence. This interim government would include people from various sectors of society, with the proposal calling for the resignation of Sheikh Hasina’s government.
5. Army Statement after Meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina: In an emergency meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on August 4, the Chief of Army Staff (CAS) announced that the army would no longer use firearms. He expressed the burden of social pressure and harassment and noted that the country had not seen such a large-scale protest since 1970. The CAS appeared very nervous during the session, which ended hurriedly as many officials seemed prepared to express their concerns.
The following video shows Army is neutral, but rumors are there that they are mainly stopping any clash.
6. Mass Gathering at Shaheed Minar: A sea of people gathered at Shaheed Minar in Dhaka, with more crowds arriving from different parts of the city on July 34 (August 3). The grounds echoed with slogans for one demand and one goal. This symbolizes the widespread support for the movement among the general public, who want the government to step down in response to the ongoing genocide.
7. Prime Minister’s Meeting with the Security Council and Call to Suppress Protesters: On Sunday (August 4), Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina met with the National Security Committee at 11 AM to discuss the ongoing movement and the resulting situation. The meeting was attended by members of the 27-member committee, including ministers of Home, Information, Law, Finance, Foreign Affairs, Planning, Industry, and Commerce; the Cabinet Secretary; the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister’s Office; and the Chiefs of the Army, Navy, and Air Force. She labeled all the protesters as terrorists and ordered all the security forces to suppress them brutally.
8. Government Declares General Holiday: The government has announced a three-day general holiday (August 5, 6, and 7), starting from tomorrow. The Ministry of Public Administration issued the notification this afternoon.
References:
Jawad Nirjhor, Kalbela, Zulkarnain Saer, BUETian facebook page.
To read in Bangla: https://truthcastbd.com/2024/08/04/5-august_2024-bangladesh/
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