July Oikya-organised 'Rally for Bangladesh' calls for 'India Out', marches towards Shahbagh

The "Rally for Bangladesh," organised by July Oikya, a platform formed by various organisations that emerged from the 2024 mass uprising, began at the Central Shaheed Minar on the Dhaka University campus today (7 February).

After the rally, participants marched from the Shaheed Minar towards Shahbagh as part of the programme.

The rally started around 3:30pm and called for "India Out" in protest against what organisers described as "Indian dominance and interference in Bangladesh's internal affairs".

July Oikya organiser Israfil Faraji said the rally was held to protest "India's sheltering" of the killers of martyr Sharif Osman Hadi and those involved in mass killings during the July Uprising of 2024, as well as India's dominance in international forums, including the International Cricket Council (ICC).

He further alleged that India had openly interfered in Bangladesh's last four parliamentary elections and accused it of conspiring against the country's sovereignty ahead of the upcoming 13th national election.

Photo: TBS

Dhaka University professor Abu Sayem said, "Tt was the state's responsibility to ensure justice, but it is shocking that the authorities had failed to arrest the killers of Hadi."

He called the government's response "deeply disappointing," and alleged that it had instead obstructed movements demanding justice. "The people of Bangladesh want to claim their rightful entitlements and do not wish to see any form of Indian dominance."

Dhaka University unit President of Islami Chhatra Shibir and Dhaka University Central Students' Union (Ducsu) Assistant General Secretary Mohiuddin Khan said there would be no room for "big-brotherism" in Bangladesh, adding that those exerting influence even outside formal politics must also be resisted.

Leaders and activists of different political parties and organisations, including the National Citizen Party (NCP), attended the rally.

Speaking at the rally, NCP Joint Member Secretary Joynal Abedin Shishir said, "The Yunus government had failed to carry out even minimum reforms of the police force, a failure was evident in the recent attacks on journalists and protesters."

He warned that if the authorities attempt to stage a "managed election" like that of 2008 using the same police force, the public would uproot them. "We have all your lists," he said, adding that those involved should think "ten times" before repeating what he described as "past wrongdoing".

Bangladesh Labour Party Chairman Mostafizur Rahman Iran alleged that efforts were underway to engineer the election despite it being only days away. "The July Uprising was not carried out to replace one form of authoritarianism with another, claiming that 17 years of Awami League rule had turned into nationalist authoritarianism."

NCP Chief Coordinator and Dhaka-8 parliamentary candidate Nasiruddin Patwary was also spoke at the rally.