By Ruma Paul
DHAKA (Reuters) -Thousands of students rallied in Bangladesh on Thursday to mark the one-month anniversary of the fall of long-serving former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina after deadly protests.
Students, teachers and families of those killed in the unrest joined the “March for Martyrs” carrying the national flag and chanting slogans such as “Blood of the martyrs is our power”.
The anti-government protests started in July as a student-led movement against public sector job quotas and escalated into a nationwide uprising against Hasina.
More than 1,000 people lost their lives in the unrest, which forced Hasina to resign and flee to India on Aug. 5 just before her official residence was stormed by crowds. The violence continued for several days after she fled.
An interim government led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus replaced Hasina’s administration, with the mandate to restore stability following the country’s deadliest violence since its independence in 1971, implement reforms, and organise fresh parliamentary elections.
Yunus urged students to resume their studies.
“Schools, colleges, and universities have reopened, and I encourage you to return to your classrooms. A well-educated and competent generation is essential to secure the gains of the revolution,” Yunus said in a statement marking the anniversary of the fall.
“Hundreds of students and people from all walks of life made the ultimate sacrifice for one of the most glorious revolutions in history.”
Amir Ali, whose son was killed during the protests, said his child’s name was not included in the official list of martyrs.
“I came here to honour my son and the victory achieved through his sacrifice,” he said as he joined others in remembering the martyrs.
Nahid Islam, 26, a key protest organiser now serving in Yunus’ cabinet, said, “We’ve got a new Bangladesh in exchange for their blood. We are alive for them. Freedom of speech is back.”
Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal stepped down on Thursday following widespread resignations and appointments by the new government. The administration has forced out the chief justice, the central bank governor and the police chief who oversaw the crackdown on the students.
The United Nations Human Rights Office announced last Friday that it would dispatch a fact-finding mission to Bangladesh at the request of the interim government to investigate alleged human rights violations during the recent deadly violence.
(Reporting by Ruma Paul; Editing by Richard Chang)
