Activists of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), student wing of the BNP, staged a sit-in at Dhaka’s Shahbagh intersection on Thursday, disrupting vehicular movement in the area for several hours as part of their ongoing protest demanding justice for Shahriar Alam Shammo.
Shammo, a student at Dhaka University’s Institute of Education and Research and a hall-level JCD leader, was allegedly killed recently under suspicious circumstances. The incident has sparked widespread outrage within student and political circles, with JCD leading daily demonstrations in response.
As announced during a previous protest, JCD launched a fresh sit-in on Thursday morning at both Shahbagh and InterContinental intersections. Activists began gathering at Shahbagh from around 9:00 AM and despite heavy rain shortly thereafter, they remained undeterred.
By 10:00 AM, large numbers of demonstrators had taken to the streets, chanting slogans including: “No more, no more, NSI-backed proctor”, “Bodies hanging in campus, what does the proctor do?”, “My brother is in the grave, why is the killer free?” and “We want justice, justice for Shammo.”
The sit-in is scheduled to continue until 5:00 PM.
JCD central president Rakibul Islam Rakib and general secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir were present, along with other leaders from Dhaka city units.
Speaking to reporters, Rakib criticized the lack of progress in the investigation into Shammo’s death.
“There has been no real assurance of justice. The case was transferred from Shahbagh Police Station to Detective Branch, but there has been no significant development. Only one suspect has been remanded and that too four days after the arrest—this delay is unacceptable,” he said.
Rakib further stated that Shammo played a key role in July student movement and his killing, followed by what he called a lackluster response from law enforcement, raises serious concerns about public safety and accountability.
Drawing parallels to past incidents, including the killing of Zahidul Islam Parvez, Rakib said Thursday’s blockade was aimed at ensuring the arrest and trial of Shammo’s actual killers.
The demonstration caused significant traffic disruption, with vehicles originally headed for Shahbagh via Farmgate, Karwan Bazar, Kataban, and Matshyabhaban rerouted through Moghbazar via Banglamotor. Commuters faced extended delays as alternative routes became congested.
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