There have been reports that the Awami League and its allies may attempt a ‘counter-revolution' on 15 August. If anyone makes such an attempt, they will be crushed under the wave of masses.
Coordinators of the Students Against Discrimination (SAD), which led the recent mass-uprising and toppled the Sheikh Hasina government, conveyed the warnings from a harmony rally at Shahbagh intersection in Dhaka on Wednesday.
Apart from them, leaders and activists of different student organisations, including Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal and Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir, attended the rally, under the banner, ‘Unity for Bangladesh’.
Sarjis Alam, a key coordinator of SAD, told the rally, “The fascists are trying to stage a counter-coup in Bangladesh. What can be more ridiculous than this! If there are any such attempts, you will not find anyone to attend your absentee funeral prayer (Gayebana Janaza). If you dare to stare at the uprising of students and masses, a crowd of millions will crush you.”
He said Bangladesh achieved independence after 16 years. If anyone stares at this, they will not be allowed in this country.
Sarjis also urged all to remain standby, to take to the streets until the power is handed over to an elected government.
Another SAD coordinator, Hasnat Abdullah, said all should be cautious so that those who have carried out assaults throughout the last 16 years cannot succeed in any conspiracies. There are reports that the fascists and their allies will attempt to take to the streets to stage a coup. If they try to do so, the students will respond forcefully.
He urged all to remain on the streets until their victory, what he described as an initial achievement for now, is solidified.
Addressing the rally, Abu Baker Majumder, another key coordinator, said, “Sheikh Hasina was forced to leave power due to the movement of students and people, but her allies continue to conspire. Following the successful revolution, allies of Awami League carried out assaults on our brothers from minority groups. We will not let them succeed.”
All left-leaning student organisations, including Chhatra Union and Samajtantrik Chhatra Front, actively participated in the previous programmes of the anti-discrimination student movement. They, however, were conspicuously absent in the rally on Wednesday.
Leaders from Chhatra Dal and Chhatra Shibir spoke on the occasion.
Ganesh Chandra Roy, president of Chhatra Dal’s Dhaka University unit, vowed to resist any conspiracies collectively. He accused Sheikh Hasina and her supporters of trying to instigate communal unrest. "We are all Bangladeshis, and we will stand together to prevent any conspiracy.”
Sibgatullah, central literature secretary of Chhatra Shibir, called for unity among all religious communities in Bangladesh and expressed a firm stance to combat any attempts to destablise the situation.
Akhtar Hossain, central convener of the Ganatantrik Chhatra Shakti, said those defeated by the uprising are now conspiring to destabilise the country. "We will resist all conspiracies and remain committed to our goal of a harmonious Bangladesh."