The central Shaheed Minar area in the capital has transformed into a sea of people as thousands from various walks of life, including students, teachers, and professionals, gathered in protest.
Starting from noon on Saturday (August 3), a steady stream of students began arriving at Shaheed Minar, soon joined by people from different sectors. The swelling crowd overflowed from the Shaheed Minar area, spreading to Chankharpul Mor, Doyel Chatwar, Jagannath Hall Mor, and the Sheikh Russell Tower of Dhaka University.
As of 3:00pm, despite the rain, numerous small and large processions were seen converging on Shaheed Minar. The students had initially gathered at the Science Lab intersection as part of a central programme to protest against attacks on peaceful demonstrations, the firing incidents, and to voice their 9-point demands. After the gathering, the students marched towards Shaheed Minar.
The march from Science Lab to Shaheed Minar began around 2:30 pm, passing through New Market. Along the way, the protesters chanted slogans upon seeing policemen stationed near the Priyangan shopping complex.
Earlier in the day, students began gathering at the Science Lab intersection from around 12:00 pm, causing traffic to come to a standstill in the surrounding areas. Meanwhile, students from Rampura and Aftabnagar also headed towards the central Shaheed Minar, further swelling the crowd.