Sunday, 03 August, 2025
On July 29, 2024, student protest leaders rejected the government’s declaration of a national mourning day for July 30—announced in honour of those killed during the quota reform movement—and instead called for nationwide demonstrations wearing red cloths over their mouths and eyes.
The government had earlier announced the observance of a national mourning day, urging citizens to wear black badges and offer prayers at mosques, temples, churches, pagodas, and other places of worship to commemorate the victims of the student-led movement. The declaration came late in the afternoon on July 29.
In a swift response, leaders of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement denounced the move as a “mockery” of public grief and justice. Around 9:30 pm, coordinator Mahin Sarkar announced the protest through an SMS sent to journalists, stating, “Without ensuring justice for killings and torture, declaring mourning is nothing but an insult to the victims and the people.”
Mahin reiterated the platform’s nine-point demands and called on citizens nationwide to demonstrate by tying red cloths over their mouths and eyes on July 30 and to share photos of the protest on social media. The call quickly went viral, with thousands—students, teachers, workers, and even celebrities—changing their profile pictures to red in symbolic defiance.
Earlier in the day, students held demonstrations and sit-ins across the country, demanding an end to abductions and arrests, the release of detainees, withdrawal of false cases, and justice for those killed during the movement. Protesters also condemned what they described as the coerced announcement of the withdrawal of the movement by six central coordinators who were held in the custody of the Detective Branch (DB).
Despite heavy police deployment and a nationwide curfew in its tenth consecutive day—albeit relaxed for most of July 29—protests erupted in Dhaka, Jahangirnagar University, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST), Chattogram, Rajshahi, Cumilla, Barishal, Thakurgaon, Bogura, Jashore, and Noakhali. Dozens were detained as law enforcement cracked down on gatherings. In Dhaka alone, protests were dispersed in areas including Paltan, Segunbagicha, Science Lab, ECB Square, and Mirpur-10, with at least 50 arrests reported.
Meanwhile, state security was visibly intensified. Large contingents of police and army patrolled the capital, RAB helicopters flew overhead, and checkpoints were established throughout Dhaka. Police used loudspeakers to discourage public gatherings, while ruling Awami League activists were also seen occupying key streets.
The day also saw judicial and political fallout. The High Court strongly criticised the publication of images showing detained protest leaders being served food inside the DB office, calling it a “national-level mockery.” The criticism came during a hearing on a writ petition seeking the release of the detainees and a ban on the use of firearms against protesters.
At the political level, the ruling 14-party alliance, in a meeting chaired by deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Ganabhaban, unanimously supported a ban on the politics of Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir. Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader alleged that BNP, Jamaat, and their affiliates, including Chhatra Dal and Shibir, were conspiring to undermine national sovereignty.
In a separate development, a National People's Inquiry Commission was formed by lawyers and civil society members to investigate the shootings, killings, arbitrary arrests, and torture during the movement. The announcement followed a human chain organised in front of the Supreme Court under the slogan: “We Demand Justice for Mass Killings; End Enforced Disappearances, Arrests and Torture.”
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir rejected the government's official death toll, calling it unreliable and citing media reports that suggested a significantly higher number of casualties.
The political coalition Ganatantra Manch placed a six-point demand, including an independent UN-supervised investigation into the killings, immediate withdrawal of the curfew and security forces, full restoration of internet access, release of all detained activists, and the reopening of all educational institutions.
Academics also weighed in. Over a hundred university teachers described the crackdown as the “July Massacre” and called for an end to enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests, and intimidation of students.
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) condemned the forced statement from detained student leaders, calling it “unethical” and a “heinous crime.” TIB also criticised the DB for misleading the public and holding detainees without legal authority under the guise of “protective custody.”
Additionally, 74 prominent citizens released a statement demanding UN-supervised investigations into each incident of killing, abduction, and torture during the movement.
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On July 29, 2024, student protest leaders rejected the government’s declaration of a national mourning day for July 30—announced in honour of those killed during the quota reform movement—and instead called for nationwide demonstrations wearing red cloths over their mouths and eyes.
The government had earlier announced the observance of a national mourning day, urging citizens to wear black badges and offer prayers at mosques, temples, churches, pagodas, and other places of worship to commemorate the victims of the student-led movement. The declaration came late in the afternoon on July 29.
In a swift response, leaders of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement denounced the move as a “mockery” of public grief and justice. Around 9:30 pm, coordinator Mahin Sarkar announced the protest through an SMS sent to journalists, stating, “Without ensuring justice for killings and torture, declaring mourning is nothing but an insult to the victims and the people.”
Mahin reiterated the platform’s nine-point demands and called on citizens nationwide to demonstrate by tying red cloths over their mouths and eyes on July 30 and to share photos of the protest on social media. The call quickly went viral, with thousands—students, teachers, workers, and even celebrities—changing their profile pictures to red in symbolic defiance.
Earlier in the day, students held demonstrations and sit-ins across the country, demanding an end to abductions and arrests, the release of detainees, withdrawal of false cases, and justice for those killed during the movement. Protesters also condemned what they described as the coerced announcement of the withdrawal of the movement by six central coordinators who were held in the custody of the Detective Branch (DB).
Despite heavy police deployment and a nationwide curfew in its tenth consecutive day—albeit relaxed for most of July 29—protests erupted in Dhaka, Jahangirnagar University, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST), Chattogram, Rajshahi, Cumilla, Barishal, Thakurgaon, Bogura, Jashore, and Noakhali. Dozens were detained as law enforcement cracked down on gatherings. In Dhaka alone, protests were dispersed in areas including Paltan, Segunbagicha, Science Lab, ECB Square, and Mirpur-10, with at least 50 arrests reported.
Meanwhile, state security was visibly intensified. Large contingents of police and army patrolled the capital, RAB helicopters flew overhead, and checkpoints were established throughout Dhaka. Police used loudspeakers to discourage public gatherings, while ruling Awami League activists were also seen occupying key streets.
The day also saw judicial and political fallout. The High Court strongly criticised the publication of images showing detained protest leaders being served food inside the DB office, calling it a “national-level mockery.” The criticism came during a hearing on a writ petition seeking the release of the detainees and a ban on the use of firearms against protesters.
At the political level, the ruling 14-party alliance, in a meeting chaired by deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Ganabhaban, unanimously supported a ban on the politics of Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir. Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader alleged that BNP, Jamaat, and their affiliates, including Chhatra Dal and Shibir, were conspiring to undermine national sovereignty.
In a separate development, a National People's Inquiry Commission was formed by lawyers and civil society members to investigate the shootings, killings, arbitrary arrests, and torture during the movement. The announcement followed a human chain organised in front of the Supreme Court under the slogan: “We Demand Justice for Mass Killings; End Enforced Disappearances, Arrests and Torture.”
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir rejected the government's official death toll, calling it unreliable and citing media reports that suggested a significantly higher number of casualties.
The political coalition Ganatantra Manch placed a six-point demand, including an independent UN-supervised investigation into the killings, immediate withdrawal of the curfew and security forces, full restoration of internet access, release of all detained activists, and the reopening of all educational institutions.
Academics also weighed in. Over a hundred university teachers described the crackdown as the “July Massacre” and called for an end to enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests, and intimidation of students.
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) condemned the forced statement from detained student leaders, calling it “unethical” and a “heinous crime.” TIB also criticised the DB for misleading the public and holding detainees without legal authority under the guise of “protective custody.”
Additionally, 74 prominent citizens released a statement demanding UN-supervised investigations into each incident of killing, abduction, and torture during the movement.
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