Hadi killing: Protests continue at Shahbagh’s July Memorial as crowd thins, traffic returns to normal
Members of law enforcement agencies were stationed in front of Bangladesh Medical University.
Protests continued tonight at the base of Shahbagh's July Memorial following the killing of Inqilab Mancha leader Sharif Osman bin Hadi.
Although, the number of demonstrators has declined and traffic on the road has returned to normal as of 9:20pm.
The demonstrations came after overnight attacks and vandalism erupted across the country in response to Hadi's killing.
On Thursday morning (19 December), protesters once again blocked the Shahbagh intersection in Dhaka.
By around 3pm, two separate groups were holding rallies: one led by Dhaka University Central Students' Union (DUCSU) Vice-President Md Abu Shadik Kayem, and the other by "Qawmi scholars".
From separate stages, they chanted slogans such as "Agents of India, beware!" and "Stop Indian aggression, people!"
By 2pm, hundreds of people were stationed at Shahbagh.
They erected barricades on surrounding roads and held small processions in different directions. Ambulances were, however, being allowed to pass through the area, reports BBC Bangla.
The demonstrators chanted slogans such as "Who are you, who am I? Hadi, Hadi" and "What we need right now is a revolutionary government."
Members of law enforcement agencies were stationed in front of Bangladesh Medical University.
Earlier, last night, demonstrators blocked Shahbagh and continued their demonstrations throughout the night.
The call for the blockade came after news spread of the death of Inqilab Mancha spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi.
Later, at around midnight, many attacked and set fire to the offices of the daily Prothom Alo and subsequently The Daily Star, forcing the two leading newspapers to suspend their print and online operations.
A group of people also vandalised the Chhayanaut cultural centre building in Dhanmondi. At the time, they set a fire on the road in front of the building and staged demonstrations.
