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Published : 16 Jul 2025, 05:22 PM
With a 24-hour deadline given for the arrest of those involved in the attack on the National Citizen Party (NCP) march programme in Gopalganj, the blockade programme at Shahbagh has been withdrawn.
On Wednesday, Bangladesh Democratic Students Union Convenor Abu Bakar Majumder said: “There was an attack on the July revolutionaries in Gopalganj. In independent Bangladesh, we have witnessed the open rehearsal of Awami League miscreants.
“We are deeply disappointed that the administration has failed to provide security to the July revolutionaries.”
He said, “We will always be on the field on behalf of the students and the public in the fight against the miscreants, extortionists, and murderers of the Awami League and in the struggle to rebuild Bangladesh.
“If the attackers are not arrested and punished within the next 24 hours, the students and the public will be forced to launch strict programmes like the quota movement once again.”
Activists of the Anti-discrimination Student Movement began the blockade shortly after 5pm on Wednesday, as protesters gathered at the busy intersection and formed a human chain to stop traffic.
At 5:55pm, the Anti-discrimination Student Movement announced on its Facebook page that the blockade would be lifted and replaced with a sit-in on the side of the road.
NCP leader Sarjis Alam echoed the announcement on his personal Facebook page.
Around 6pm, Abu Bakar said: “Blockade programmes were ongoing on the roads in response to the Gopalganj attack, which has caused public suffering. Therefore, we are lifting the blockade for now.”
Abdul Quader, convener of the Democratic Student Movement, said: “Awami League has taken to the streets again. They have attacked our brothers.
“We had promised in July that we would put the fascist accomplices in jail, but the government has disappointed us.
“This government has not fulfilled the hopes and aspirations of the students.
“If you cannot provide security to the July fighters, you will not be able to remain in power for even a minute.”
At that time, the Inqilab Mancha held a protest rally at the foot of Dhaka University’s Raju Sculpture.
Convenor Sharif Osman Hadi said if law-enforcing agencies fail to arrest the attackers within 24 hours, thousands will launch a long march towards Gopalganj on Friday.
“There are BNP, Jamaat, and NCP members in this country. We have disagreements with all of them. However, there is no dispute when it comes to the July issue, or the question of sovereignty and independence,” he said.
