Protests erupted in Dhaka on Wednesday night following the death of Abul Kashem, 20, who succumbed to injuries sustained during an attack at the Gazipur residence of former Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque.
The National Citizen's Committee (NCC) and the Anti-discrimination Students Movement (ADSM) led the demonstrations, calling for a permanent ban on the Awami League (AL), accusing the party of fostering a climate of political violence.
The protests culminated during Kashem’s Namaaz-E-Janajah at the National Shaheed Minar at 9:20 PM on February 12. Both groups denounced the government’s failure to take decisive action against what they described as state-backed violence.
“This is not just a death—it is proof that fascism is still alive,” said Akhtar Hossain, Member Secretary of NCC. He condemned the alleged involvement of the state in violent crackdowns, referring to reports of political prisoners being confined in cramped conditions at Aynaghor (Mirror House).
Hossain also accused Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of orchestrating the suppression during the July movement, declaring, “We will fight to our last drop of blood to ensure the Awami League is banned forever.”
Arif Sohel, Member Secretary of ADSM, criticized the interim government for its inaction. “What role has it played if our brothers are still being killed under state patronage?” he questioned, demanding the arrest of Awami League sympathizers within the government. He warned that failure to act could lead to further unrest.
Hasnat Abdullah, Convener of ADSM, issued an ultimatum, stating, “Either the Awami League goes, or we do,” urging the government to immediately outlaw the party to prevent the return of fascism in Bangladesh.
As tensions escalated, protesters, carrying Kashem’s coffin, marched towards Shahbagh, chanting slogans such as “Naraye Takbeer, Allahu Akbar!” and “Not Delhi, Dhaka, Dhaka!” They called for the removal of the Awami League and its influence in Bangladesh, with one chant demanding, “There will be no place for Awami terrorists in this Bangladesh!”
The protest reflects the deepening political divide in the country, with growing calls for the dismantling of the ruling party’s influence. The interim government has yet to respond to the escalating demands for action.
