The key coordinators of the Students Against Discrimination Movement on Saturday announced their one-point demand seeking resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her cabinet members, terming it as the “demand of students.”
“Not another minute of this government. We have one point, one demand — Sheikh Hasina's resignation,” Nahid Islam, one of the key coordinators, made the announcement from a massive rally at the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka in the afternoon.
Flanked by other coordinators and in presence of thousands of people, he continued, "What justice would we demand from them? They are the killers. We were taken to the Detective Branch (DB) office. We got released because of the movement. Shootings continue even today. Under the circumstances, I am announcing a one-point demand.
“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said that the door to discussion is open. She has already understood that it is time to keep that door open. We are coming. But she should resign and be brought to justice for the killings. Not only Sheikh Hasina, all the ministers must resign as well.”
He said that they also want this government tried over looting and corruption. “We will break the jail locks, and free our brothers. I urge everyone to join the ongoing uprising. We will have discussions with everyone and form a united front. We will announce the country’s outline.”
“There will be non-cooperation movement everywhere from Sunday,” Nahid added.
Since the morning, thousands of students and people from every age and profession gathered at the Shaheed Minar as part of a protest programme organised by the movement, titled “Baishamya Birodhi Chhatra Andolon” in Bangla.
The protesters – arriving from different parts of the capital individually or in processions – started gathering in the area at around 12pm Saturday.
Around 2:30pm, the students blockading the Science Lab intersection also headed towards the Shaheed Minar. The blockade there had started around 12:30pm Saturday.
On Sunday, one of the leaders of the movement also rejected Prime Minister Hasina’s call for holding a dialogue through a post on Facebook.
“Many are asking about this, especially journalist friends. We are not willing to sit for any dialogue with this murderer government; hence, discussion with the political party Awami League is out of the question,” Asif Mahmud, one of the coordinators, wrote in the post.
“We have no plans to talk with them. Our demand is very clear; if they have any statement, they can put them through the media in front of the people of the country. The decision of the protesting students and people is our decision. There is no dialogue with bullets and terror,” the post read.
Earlier in the morning, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had said that the doors of Ganabhaban were always open to the student protesters for dialogue to resolve the ongoing situation.
“Doors of Ganabhaban are open, whenever the protesters want to talk to resolve the issue I am ready to sit with them,” she said.
Meanwhile, to make the all-out non-cooperation movement from Sunday a success, Baishamya Birodhi Chhatra Andolon has issued urgent instructions to students and citizens.
These instructions are –
In addition, hospitals, pharmacies, emergency transport services, such as medicine and medical equipment transport, ambulance services, fire service, mass media, transportation of daily necessities, emergency internet services, emergency relief assistance and transport services for officials and employees working in these sectors will continue.
The instructions mentioned that shops of daily necessities will be open from 11am to 1pm.
