Bangladesh wants Justice [MEGATHREAD]
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Dhaka, Bangladesh — 29th of July
During a race of two public buses for passengers, one of vehicles slammed into the crowd injuring 9 and killing two young students of Shaheed Ramiz Uddin Cantonment College, Mim and Karim.
This sparked protests which is currently ongoing in the streets of Bangladesh.
Many were enraged, and many buses were burnt that day in the protest, because road safety is not regulated at all in this country.
The students from all over the country teamed up and that created something which will be written down in history.
Due to the amount of reckless drivers who have no knowledge of driving and rules and regulations of driving in the roads, who have received their driving license with bribe or have no license at all, the roads of Bangladesh are full of danger. However that was changing as the protest turned to an outcry of hope and started a movement that would stay in the hearts of all of us citizens in the future.
Students, as young as 13 years old, along with their classmates filled the streets. These young kids, did what no government could in all these years, All cars in the street were thoroughly checked for the driver’s license and papers and cars without papers or driver license had their keys taken and turned to the police. In the 5th day of the protests, the students achieved 4 designated lane traffics: for rickshaws, cars, buses and emergencies.
Students also found that many Government vehicles did not have proper license or papers and stopped them. (Source)
5th day of the protest.
The Government has announced that the student’s demands for road safety would be met, but in these times where there is no end to corruption in this country, the students took the work onto their hands and established 4 designated lane roads, cleared the roads from illegal cars, Cleaned the streets from garbage and broken windshield glasses here and there, and also fixed roads which were damaged.
However there were clashes between the police and the students as the students refused to leave the roads on their peaceful protest with no violence, the police charged them with batons and riot shields. Tear gas and rubber bullets were also fired at Mirpur, Dhaka.
Currently, it is the 7th day of the protest.
At around 1pm the a pro-government political organization, Bangladesh Chhatra (Student) League, wearing helmets and protective gear, along with the police, launched combined attacks on the students in broad daylight with sticks guns at Jhigatola, Dhaka. (Source 1, Source 2)
During this clash, 100s of students were injured (Source 1, Source 2) and to the knowledge I have gathered, the statistics are as follows:
- 4 male students have been shot dead
- 4 female students have been raped and murdered
- 1 male student had his eyes clawed out
- 40–50 of female students are still missing
These are however not verified news, I did not verify this myself, but I trust what my friends and classmates are saying.
Confirmation of rape and murders are being shared on the news.
You can judge yourself by the following pictures.
There are reports that the government has ordered hospitals to not take any patients who are students injured in the protest. Critical patients have been shifted to Dhaka Medical College and it’s true that hospitals are denying to take patients for treatment. Most of them are forcefully released.
The local television media is quiet about this situation and will not report on anything except propaganda that nothing has happened, and that other political parties mixed with students and harmed BCL which resulted in the clash.
Mobile internet speed has been brought down across the country as social media is filled with outcry. (Source)
BCL is attacking based on this claim of being attacked by students at the party office but there’s no evidence as well as their workers being injured.
I do not know if you will believe what I am writing, I do not know if anyone here will read this, but I do know that if anyway we can get this message out there, we can stop this propaganda.
No media is covering for us students right now, and we cannot express how we are feeling or what has happened as they oppress our rights.
If you wish to see for yourself, please go to Twitter, 100s of Facebook posts are being mass marked as spam and being removed. Along with that we might lose our internet connection as our mobile internet access points have already been shut down.
Meanwhile reckless driving has also killed 3 people today as two buses collided head on, and another crashing into 2 more. (Source)
Most of the media are not being allowed to share this story. Many cameramen who went to document these protests had their cameras broken by BCL members. TV channels are being threatened to not post news regarding this.
Currently happening as I write, Day 7 of Protest
BCL and Police have cornered students of North South University and Independent University of Bangladesh at Bashundhara, Dhaka. All the streetlights have been turned off. Internet connections too. Currently they are trying to harm any student they can find protesting on the road and have already raided hostels where female students of the universities reside (not yet confirmed). (Source — Friend who studies and lives there)
Anyone who reads this, please, this is a cry for help. From all the students of Bangladesh and citizens who only wanted safer roads, but got a civil war instead. We do not want our young generation to lose their lives this way. If you can contact international media, please forward them any info you can find about our situation over here. We might not be able to give any more information in the near future. Please help us.
— A concerned student
8th Day of the Protest
Students are still being attacked in different locations. Many schools have had their doors locked and BCL is blocking the exit so that nobody can come out. Students of East West University and other Universities and Schools in Rampura, Dhaka are under attack by BCL members. BRAC University marched and joined East West University at Rampura and the collective groups are trying to handle the situation there.
Atleast 4 students and 5 journalists got hurt at Jhigatola today. The police fired Tear gas shells trying to disperse the students. Students of Dhaka University and Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology joined the students at the protest there. BCL men have chased students at Science Lab Intersection. (Source)
University of Asia Pacific students who were protesting at Green Road were also attacked in broad daylight today. (Source)
Many students currently residing at Triangle Cafe, located in Jhigatola (road 3/A of Dhanmondi). They are being threatened to be burned alive by BCL men.
Freelance journalists were heavily beaten and had all their camera gears broken and destroyed so that nobody can document what is actually happening on the roads while the government forces the media to make us view the same propaganda as before: “All deaths and rapes are rumors. No dead body has been found. Nobody has proven it. Please verify the sources before spreading rumors to avoid confusion and report anyone who shares them on social media.”
Today we are finally being recognized by the international media and people. We like to thank each and every one of you for your support to make this news reach out of this country. However the protest is yet to end. We would like all the support we can get and try to make our roads safer for our brothers, sisters and children.
Happening right now — Day 8
Photographer and Activist Shahidul Alam who was interviewed by Al Jazeera about the situation here in Bangladesh (given above) has been abducted by the police of a special detective branch, who are locally addressed as “white dressed people”. (Source 1, Source 2, Source 3)
The United Nations (UN) on Sunday urgently called upon all parties to keep everyone — including children and young people — safe on the roads and safe from any kind of violence. (Source).
The Secretary of SHUJAN: Citizen's for Good Governance, Badiul Alam Majumdar’s house was attacked by an unidentified group of men on 11pm Saturday, when Marcia Stephens Bloom Bernicat, who is a diplomat and current United States Ambassador to Bangladesh, was leaving the house and going to her car. (Source)
7 photojournalists were injured today by BCL men. (Source)
Former Vice President of BCL is spreading propaganda on different persons including faculties of Universities for spreading rumors and provoking students. (Source)
Day 9th of the Protest
East West University in Rampura, Dhaka is being heavily attacked by members of BCL and Police. BCL men are trying to break the gates of the university and while the students are inside, Police is throwing Tear gas shells inside the campus territory. (Source)
East West Students are trying to fight back at Rampura and have also tried to contact students of other universities to come and help.
Meanwhile, Shahidul Alam, Photographer and Activist has been taken out from the DB police office to an unknown location in a micro bus. No official statement has been given by them.
Happening right now — Day 9th of the Protest
North South University at Bashundhara, Brac University at Mohakhali, Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology at Tejgaon are being heavily attacked alongside East West University in Rampura by the Police and BCL men.
After the emergency messages from East West Students to call for help from other Universities, Students tried to gather in their own campuses and have failed to grow in numbers as the Police are blocking the main roads to the campuses and BCL men are swarming the streets and alleyways, trying to hurt anyone they see with an ID card or turn back anyone who has a schoolbag.
Prothom alo, one of the top newspapers of Bangladesh has just posted breaking news: “No groups can gather in Dhaka’s streets if they consist of more than 3 people.” (Source — Dhaka Metropolitan Police)
Heavily armed Police patrols are roaming around all the streets of Bashundhara, Dhaka. This is where three of the biggest Universities: North South University, American International University-Bangladesh and Independent University Bangladesh are located. No one is being allowed to gather at their respective Universities. The area is in complete lock-down. They are charging anyone they can find carrying a schoolbag or having an ID card or even if they are carrying their phones in their hands. (Source)
Police have also surrounded BRAC University located at Mohakhali, some students who tried to gather are trapped inside the cafeteria and cannot do anything, while Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology at Tejgaon are being attacked by BCL men.
Current situation in Bashundhara is very bad. We need to get news out as fast as possible.
Literally nobody is being allowed with a camera on the streets, not even phones, if police or BCL men suspects they are being recorded they will break any device they find and try to harm the person who are recording it.
More videos are being posted from different parts of Dhaka city. Many students of North South University and Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology have been injured.
Police are firing rubber bullets and tear gas shells continuously at the students in different parts of the city, we request everyone and anyone who’s reading this: GET THE WORD OUT. WE NEED YOUR HELP.
Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology are being attacked too alongside East West University and all the universities located in Bashundhara.
BRAC University students are being attacked right now as they march for East West University at Rampura. Some are at Hatirjheel and some are staying inside East West University. Around 40–50 students are trapped inside East West University and the rest are at the gate or at Hatirjheel. They are requesting other students for help.
North South University has opened their gates to anyone who’s in need of medical attention and trying to provide them shelter from the attacks but the Police are shooting rubber bullets and tear gas shells inside the campus.
Many students are missing right now. And the police have blocked the entrance of the Universities who are providing medical aid and shelter to the students and refusing to let any ambulances pass through. Students are seeking shelter at North South University and Independent University Bangladesh.
Students from Viqarunnisa Noon School and College were forced to go on a field trip without their parent’s consent and then tricked and taken into Nagar Bhaban near Dhaka City Museum where BCL members forced them to recite propaganda and record them on camera. (No newspaper or media proof as of yet but I have been informed by the students).
Police have abducted many students and taken them to jail. No one is being able to communicate with the missing students.
News of Bashundhara Residential Area about to be raided in a few hours is spreading like wildfire.
Meanwhile, Facebook might be blocked in the country from tonight. If not, they might even turn off the whole internet for us home users. We need as much help we can get because we are being oppressed of our basic human rights. We are being beaten, jailed, humiliated, terrorized and taken away from our basic human rights. (Source)
Shahidul Alam, eminent photographer and Director of DRIK is produced before CMM court. He is being charged under ICT ACT Section 57. Police asked for 10 days of remand. THEY WERE GRANTED 7 DAYS. (Source 1, Source 2)
A video surfaced of Police taking him in remand. He told the persons filming that he asked for a lawyer and he was not given one. He was also beaten and then his clothes were washed and put on again so that nobody can suspect.
More information will follow as soon as i receive valid news from trusted sources.
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