Professor Sayeed Ferdous, a teacher of Jahangirnagar University Anthropology Department, on Monday urged everyone to call the killings – committed in July by different government forces during the quota reform movement – “July Massacre.”
He made the remark while addressing an anti-oppression teachers’ rally at the base of Aparajeyo Bangla sculpture in front of Dhaka University's Arts Faculty Building, organised by the University Teachers Network.
Prof Ferdous added, “Suddenly, bullets are killing children, a 17-year-old child is being remanded, one video shows a pedestrian walking but is shot in cold blood from behind, another video shows an injured man being dragged by his relative but someone comes from behind and shoots the injured person.
“People dressed in government forces’ uniform are doing these shootings. How bankrupt can a country be to do these things?”
Earlier on Monday, Teachers from various public and private universities gathered in front of the National Museum at Shahbagh around 11:30am. They then held a silent procession, and later they took up position at the base of the Aparajeyo Bangla sculpture.
They condemned the killing of students during the quota reform movement, demanded justice, and observed a minute of silence in memory of the victims.
Prof Chowdhury Saima Ferdous, a professor of IBA Institute at Dhaka University, said, “Why shoot my students? As a teacher, I know I have to protest injustice, which is why I stand here. We do not want judgment from anyone.
“We want to express our anger. We do not want to see another incident like the July massacre.”
Stamford University Professor Nahid Newaz said, “More than 200 people died. Not only students, but also workers, day labourers, rickshaw pullers, pedestrians and children died too. The government must take responsibility for such violence.”
Prof Abdul Hasib Chowdhury from BUET, Prof Abdullah Harun Chowdhury from Khulna University, Prof Mohammed Nasir Uddin From Jagannath University, Prof Saimum Reza Talukder from BRAC University, Prof Mirza Taslima Sultana from Jahangirnagar University(JU), Prof Rushad Faridi from Economics Department of DU, Prof Aryan Khan from North South University, Prof Masud Imran Mannu from JU, Ritu Sharmin from Green University, Prof Tammana Maksud from State University and Prof Kamrul Hasan Mamun from DU spoke in the procession.
