Guardian Angels: When the July Uprising became a family affair

Mothers taking to the streets to feed students, tending to their wounds, offering them water, and at times, joining them in protest; while fathers holding their children's hands amidst the chaos — this is not merely a sight, this is something that acted as a panacea for the protesting students and rejuvenated all those who raised their voices against the despotic rule.  

At a time when the whole country was boiling like a porridge pot, the parents and the guardians formed a quiet but resolute force — one that inspired the youth and, in turn, drew strength from the defiance of the Gen-Z protesters. There is no denying that throughout the movement, parents and guardians stood their ground with unwavering resolve.  

One of the fondest memories of my life will forever be the reaction of my mother when I came back home after I was beaten up by Chhatra League (BCL) goons on 15 July. My mother took a look at the deep wounds across my back and said, "Son, I pray that you never fear death, for we are born to die. If your time comes, go to the frontlines and stand tall with courage and embrace death in the name of Allah." 

She is not a lone example. Innumerable mothers like her inspired a generation of protesters during the July Uprising. 

Given our family structure and parenting styles, parents traditionally have been the ones urging their children to stay away from politics and street movements. So, what actually changed during the uprising that parents turned themselves into the last bastion of hope and courage? Why did so many parents choose to stand beside the protesters during the July Uprising? 

One of the major spots of defiance was Mirpur. There, Mariam Jamila Khan, a retired school-teacher, joined her youngest daughter, who was a tenth grader.  

"I was moved by the graphic photos of the students, especially the girls, getting beaten mercilessly by the BCL goons at Dhaka University," she said. "I couldn't sleep for days after seeing those images. I thought to myself - this has to stop now. Hasina's reign of terror must come to an end. And I joined the protests on 18 July in Mirpur-10. It was a horrible day to say the least. I brought water for the children there." 

She provided water for the protesters in Mirpur on 18 and 19 July. Then, when the tension escalated further between 2-5 August, she not only joined the protest herself, but also encouraged her friends to follow suit as well. Together, they distributed food and water among the protesters.  

"Have you ever thought of joining any protest?" 

"No," she replied, "I am a homemaker now. And personally, I used to hate politics and always tried to stop my child from joining any protest or movement to keep her safe. However, this time, she was very agitated, and there was no reasoning that could stop her." 

When asked whether the thought of her daughter getting injured or killed (which she nearly did on 4 August) crossed her mind back then, she said, "All the time. But you see, those kids who were killed, they deserve justice. So I thought, if she wants to go, I must go with her. If something happens to her, she will at least be in front of me. And at times like this, you need to fulfill your obligations." 

And she wasn't the only one. Others, like Mohammod Siraj (a businessman), also found themselves entering the fray. 

"I was very shocked by the atrocities committed by the police and Awami League supporters. My eldest son studies at KUET. He expressed his desire to join the protests in Khulna during the uprising. We used to talk about politics often, so we had mutual understanding. I agreed, and decided to join the protest in Dhaka myself."  

He walked around Dhaka University campus, Shahbagh, the High Court and nearby areas during the protests. 

"Later, I went to the DB office when Asif Nazrul sir and others went there to free the student leaders on 1 August. On the next day (2 August), I joined the Droho Jatra."  

The night when BCL goons were beaten out of Dhaka University and Jahangirnagar University halls, he had the gut feeling that Awami League's days were about to come to an end. His belief was strengthened when he saw private university students joining the movement in great numbers.  

"Not only me, my friends also brought their children with them. I saw many parents joining the protests even with their babies. It was so stirring! The government was killing our children. What was the point of us living then?"  

Pulin Bakshi, a writer and a corporate employee, was also at the forefront during the protests in Uttara. His two sons and two nephews joined the protests, and one of his nephews was a prominent student coordinator. The police raided their house to arrest him, but when he was able to make an escape, the police arrested his father and mother, who is a cancer patient, and took them to the police station. 

"My elder son was an HSC candidate then. After the brutality of BCL goons and Abu Sayeed's death, he got furious. He used to argue with us all the time. He would say that my brothers are being killed, my sisters are being beaten — how can I sit here? His mother was very worried, but I accepted it. So, he joined the protest in Uttara on 18 July. I joined the next day." 

Pulin also recalled the time when he found his son severely wounded on the street by chance. 

"I was at one side of the road sitting with one of my friends. On the other side, we saw a group of protesters pulling a teenager in college uniform and pouring water on his head. My companion shouted - the kid looks like your son!"

Then they ran towards him and saw that it was his son indeed, gravely injured by sound grenade and tear gas. 

"Weren't you afraid?" this correspondent asked.  

Pulin, with a grin on his face, replied, "One part of me was proud and accepting, but the other part (the father's side) was really worried. The very thought of my sons or nephews leaving us was unbearable. Yet, it was the reality then. We had to fight, despite the consequences."  

One of the inspiring moments of the July uprising emerged when Professor Dr Chowdhury Saima Ferdous, a faculty of the Department of International Business at Dhaka University and member of Public Service Commission (PSC), delivered a speech at the Shaheed Minar. She defiantly and boldly cursed the oppressors, urging the students to take it to the streets. She thundered, "If you kill one of us, we shall come in hundreds. If you kill one hundred of us, we shall come in millions. Not a single one of us shall stand back." 

She thundered against the evils of the then government owing to their misdeeds. 

"Sheikh Hasina's atrocities crossed every limit this time. The government used to keep the opposition divided by labelling and tagging them. This time, they could not hide the truth anymore", she opined.  

"At a time when the middle class was feeling the bite of inflation, being stripped of their democratic rights, being looted by the government in broad daylight, it broke the camel's back," she added.

The death of Abu Sayeed and Mugdho finally opened the floodgates. When the masses along with the guardians and the parents joined the youth in protests, there was no greater force than this. 

"And this solidarity — parents acting as the shield of the children (just like in 1971) — ensured our victory", she concluded.  

Desperate times demand desperate actions. It was our parents and guardians who exhibited a phenomenal level of grit during the turbulent period — this is what catalysed the July uprising, sealing victory against the fascist regime.