JU students block Dhaka-Aricha highway, demand ban on Awami League, BCL

Students of Jahangirnagar University (JU) blocked the Dhaka-Aricha Highway today (17 October), demanding justice for all crimes committed during the fascist rule, accountability for the July massacre, and a ban on the Awami League, its student wing Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), and all affiliated organisations.

The protest began at 12:50pm with a procession from the university's Mohua Chattar and culminated in the blockade at 1pm. The demonstrators held a brief rally before leaving the highway at 1:20pm.

During the rally, Shoaib Hasan, a student of Urban and Regional Planning, said, "The fascist Awami League shows no remorse. Instead, they plan to return even more viciously. I want to tell the legal adviser, Asif, to wake up! You can't reform the fascist Awami League with love. We must ban the politics of Chhatra League, Jubo League, and Awami League completely from this country."

Zubair Shabab, a student of Geography and Environment, said, "Two and a half months have passed since the mass uprising, but we still hear the cries of our injured brothers and sisters in hospitals. The tears of the martyr families haven't dried. Yet, we see those responsible for the killing of students and civilians—Awami League, Chhatra League, Jubo League, and police—still walking around freely. No action has been taken against them. Recently, they have organised attacks on revolutionaries. The interim government has not acted against them. If action had been taken earlier, they wouldn't have dared do this. The interim government must take responsibility for this."

Jahidul Islam Bappi, a student of the English Department, added, "Those responsible for the murders during the uprising are still holding positions of power. It's unclear what the Yunus government is doing. We want to make it clear that we toppled the 16-year fascist government. If fascists are rehabilitated, we won't hesitate to overthrow this government as well."