Photo: Collected

DHAKA, July 11, 2025 (BSS) - The students continued blocking highways and railways even on the weekend holidays across the country on July 12 last year, protesting the police attack on the protesters on July 11 and demanding reforms to the quota system in government jobs.

The protesters under the anti-discrimination student movement banner also organized protest processions and rallies across the country ignoring the government's warning of taking stern actions against those responsible for creating public sufferings.

On July 11, police charged batons and fired tear-shells and blank shots at different places in the country to disperse the protesters, leaving at least 50 students injured when they were blocking highways and railways breaking the police barricades during the 'Bangla Blockade'.

Around 5pm on July 12, several hundred of Dhaka University (DU) students marched from the Central Library to the Shahbagh intersection and took position there, blocking the capital's key-intersection for over an hour.

Earlier, they held a rally on the campus, protesting the police assault on the agitating students. Around 5:45pm, students from Dhaka College also joined the DU students at Shahbagh intersection.

Addressing the protesters at Shahbagh, Abu Baker Mojumder, a coordinator of the anti-discrimination student movement, said they would hold online and offline delegate conferences simultaneously in all universities, colleges and 64 districts across the country to determine the next course of movement.

"We will hold a press conference in front of DU Central Library to announce our next course of action at 6pm tomorrow (July 13, 2024). The government must seriously consider our single-point demand," he said.

Besides, in Dhaka, students of Jagannath University brought out a protest procession, protesting the police assault on the protesters on July 11 while students of Jahangirnagar University organized a torch procession on the campus in Savar in the evening.

In Manikganj, students faced obstruction from the then ruling party's student wing, Chhatra League, while attempting to form a human chain on Government Debendra College premises.

Students of Rajshahi University blocked the Dhaka-Rajshahi railway line to press home their demands. Around 5pm, they blocked the tracks near the Station Bazaar area of the university. Students from Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET) and Rajshahi Medical College also joined the protest.

In Chattogram, students launched a protest march from the Sholoshohor railway station at 5pm. Participants included students from Chattogram University, its affiliated colleges and other local institutions, including job seekers. The procession moved through Sholoshohor, 2 No. Gate, Chawk Bazar, Jamalkhan, Kazir Dewri and ended at Almas intersection.

Students of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) also organized a torch procession on campus.

In Rangpur, students of Begum Rokeya University held a protest rally on the campus. Around 6pm, when they tried to move the rally onto the street outside the campus, police intervened and obstructed them from taking to the street.

In Cumilla, Cumilla University students brought out a protest procession on the road in front of the university. The procession started at around 4:30pm from the main road of the university.

In Mymensingh, students and job seekers protesting the quota system held demonstrations. Students of Ananda Mohan College, Nasirabad College and Muminunnesa College also joined the movement.

Students of Islamic University in Kushtia and Gopalganj University of Science and Technology staged rallies and brought out protest marches.

In Syedpur and Nilphamari, students from different educational institutions formed human chains while in Bogura, general students organized a protest rally at Satmatha intersection.

In Maijdee, the district headquarters of Noakhali, students from various institutions held rallies and processions.

Since July 1, 2024, students had been staging protests under the banner of the anti-discrimination student movement, demanding rational reforms to the quota system in government jobs.

Meanwhile, on the night of July 12, a case was filed with Shahbagh Police Station against the protesters over alleged vandalism of police vehicles and attacks on police officers during the anti-quota protest.

On that day, the then law minister Anisul Huq, however, stated that the evil forces that once opposed Bangladesh's independence and conspired to assassinate Sheikh Mujibur Rahman might be behind the quota reform movement.

Expressing hope that the students, who have presented their views on the issue of quotas in government jobs, would accept the Supreme Court's directive and return home, he had warned that the government would be forced to take action otherwise.

On the same day, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader claimed that the quota reform movement had been infiltrated by anti-liberation forces and enemies of the spirit of the Liberation War.

Besides, the then Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Habibur Rahman stated, "Everyone must maintain trust and respect for the judiciary. If anyone disrupts law and order in the name of the movement, legal action will be taken accordingly."