March for Justice: Protests erupt around Chattogram Court
Students in Chattogram gathered in the court area on Wednesday to protest the recent deaths of fellow students related to the quota reform movement, chanting slogans demanding justice.
The protest began at 11:00am in front of the Chattoram Deputy Commissioner’s office, organised as part of the nationwide 'March for Justice' by the anti-discrimination student movement.
By 11:30am, the procession, consisting of students and lawyers, moved through various roads near the court before being halted by police. Protesters then moved to the court's lawyer premises, where they continued their demonstration. When police attempted to advance on the student march, a group of lawyers intervened, requesting the police to leave the area. Subsequently, police and BGB personnel positioned themselves at the court's entrance.
Students, holding placards with various slogans, continued to chant, "We want justice" and "Amar bhai kabare, khuni bahire?" around noon. One of the movement’s coordinators, Khan Talat Mahmud Rafi, joined the protest, expressing his resolve: "We made a very simple demand, and the government responded with violence, taking the lives of over 250 students. We cannot ignore that bloodshed. The movement will continue until our 9-point demand is met."
Nasreen Muntaha, a student from Chittagong College, told Jago News, "They are firing on us during peaceful protests, abducting people from the streets in broad daylight, and from their homes at night. We are here to demand justice."
Despite heavy rain around 12:30pm, the students remained steadfast, continuing their chants in the court premises. By 1:00 p.m., the protest had swelled to include approximately 3,000 students from Chittagong University, Chittagong College, Mohsin College, as well as various private universities and schools in the city. The protest was also joined by concerned parents and lawyers.
One parent, Munmun Sarkar, a private development agency official, said, "Our children are being shot and killed on the streets. We are here to stand with them and to demand assurance that no more students will be harmed."
A doctor also joined the protest, expressing his concern: "My child is still small. We are here to demand a future where he doesn’t have to fear being shot dead as he grows up."
Chittagong lawyer Ashraf Hossain Chowdhury Sattar addressed the protesters, stating, "It is the right of citizens to protest any demand. If someone demands justice, they should not be met with bullets. We want justice for the killing of students and the general public under the UN. We stand in solidarity with the students."
