Students protest in Chattogram defying police barricade, rain
Chattogram unit coordinator said intimidation tactics such as killings, arrests, attacks, and legal threats would not deter the movement
Defying police barricade and rain, students staged demonstration in Chattogram today (31 July) as part of the 'March for Justice' programme in protest against the deaths, mass arrests, cases and disappearances of people during the quota reform movement.
According to students, lawyers, and witnesses, a large crowd of students began assembling near the Zahoor Hawkers Market entrance to the court around 10am. Heavy police presence was observed in the area.
The students initially started demonstration in Zilla Parishad premises, adjacent to the court.
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At one stage, students attempted to enter the court premises through the main gate but police obstructed them. Subsequently, a group of lawyers joined the demonstrators, broke through the police barricade, and entered the court premises.
By 11:30am, the protesters started demonstration near the Lawyers' Annex building. The demonstration grew throughout the day as more lawyers and students joined the protest.
Despite multiple police advances from the main gate, the hawkers market entrance, and the north side road near Court Hill Mosque, law enforcement faced stiff opposition from the combined force of lawyers and students.
The protest continued until 3pm. Despite sporadic rain, the agitators remained undeterred. At around 12:30am, some pro-Awami League lawyers attempted to obstruct the protesters but retreated in the face of obstacles posed by BNP-Jamaat lawyers.
At the demo, Chattogram unit coordinator Khan Talat Mahmud Rafi vowed to continue the demonstrations until all nine demands, including justice for slain protesters, are met.
He told the students that intimidation tactics such as killings, arrests, attacks, and legal threats would not deter the movement.
"If one student is harmed, hundreds more, along with their families, are joining the fight," he said.
Chattogram Metropolitan Police's Additional Deputy Commissioner (South) Ashraful Karim said no arrests or casualties have been reported during the protest.
