Students of Dhaka University and other campuses across the country erupted in protest late Sunday night (July 14), sparked by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's criticism of the movement opposing the reinstatement of quotas in government jobs.
Students from Dhaka University, responding to a call from the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, took to the streets in a protest march at around 10.45 pm. Students from all residential halls, including the women's halls, participated in the march, reports UNB.
Earlier in the afternoon, during a press conference at Ganabhaban regarding her visit to China, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina criticized those opposing the quota for freedom fighters.
She said, "Why do they harbor so much resentment against the valiant freedom fighters? The grandchildren of freedom fighters don’t get jobs, the grandchildren of Rajakars will get them? This is my question to the nation."
Rajakar reference riles students:
Thousands of students from various halls of DU, including Rokeya Hall, Shamsunnahar Hall, Kabi Jasim Uddin Hall, Bangabandhu Hall, and Ziaur Rahman Hall, as well as from other halls, marched on campus chanting slogans like "Who are you, who am I? Rajakar, Rajakar."
There were allegations that leaders of the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) attempted to prevent students from Haji Muhammad Mohsin Hall, Masterda Surya Sen Hall, Bijoy Ekattor Hall, Shaheed Sergeant Jahurul Haque Hall, and A. F. Rahman Hall from joining the protest. However, students from other halls broke the locks on the main gates of these halls and helped the willing students to join the protests.
Students of Jahangirnagar University also staged a protest march demanding quota reform and condemning the Prime Minister's remarks. The protesters gathered at Bot Tola at around 11.30pm and marched to Rabindranath Hall. BCL members initially tried to prevent two students from Rabindranath Hall from joining the march, but they were released when the protesters arrived.
The Jagannath University campus has also become agitated with slogans surrounding the Prime Minister's speech about the quota of freedom fighters in government jobs.
At midnight on Sunday, students started gathering in the campus from different places of Old Dhaka. Apart from this, most of the female students came out of Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall. After that, from the campus, the protesting students blocked the way from Tatibazar intersection to Ray Saheb.
In Rajshahi University, more than 2,000 students gathered in front of the main gate on the Rajshahi-Dhaka highway, chanting slogans like "Who am I, who am I? Rajakar, Rajakar" in protest against the Prime Minister's remarks. They also chanted, "Wanted rights, ended up as Rajakar. Who said, who said? Government, government!"
Earlier, at around 11 pm, residential students from various halls started gathering on the university's Paris Road with slogans. They then moved to the main gate, where female students from various halls joined them, breaking the locks and chanting slogans.
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University in Gopalganj also erupted in protests. Students demanding quota reform marched in protest against the Prime Minister's remarks.
At around 10pm on Sunday, residential students from Swadhinata Dibas Hall first started protesting. Later, at around 11.30 pm, students marched from Lipus Canteen through all the university halls and various places, eventually gathering in front of the main gate, where they continued chanting slogans until around 12.15 am.
Bd pratidin English/Lutful Hoque
