The mass gathering programme organised by ‘Platform for prevention of fascism’ by Students against Discrimination.
The mass gathering programme organised by ‘Platform for prevention of fascism’ by Students against Discrimination.

Students hold mass gathering at Zero Point

The Anti-discrimination Student Movement's 'Fascism Prevention Mancha' has organised a mass gathering on the street in front of the south gate of Baitul Mukarram Mosque around 12:30pm today, Sunday.

The spot, where the mass gathering has been organised, is within the 100 metres from Shaheed Noor Hossain Chattar.

The Fascism Prevention Mancha organised the event demanding justice for the ‘fallen fascist Awami League’.

Several hundreds of people have been seen to join the mass gathering programme around 12:30pm.

Students against Discrimination coordinators Hasnat Abdullah and Sarjis Alam have arrived on the stage of this programme. Earlier, Students' Movement Against Discrimination had launched a movement for quota reform and later the platform had forced the resignation of prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

Right in the beginning of the programme, activists of Students' Movement Against Discrimination were chanting slogans against Awami League and Sheikh Hasina.

Earlier on Saturday, Awami League announced programmes marking Shaheed Noor Hossain Day. In protest of that, demonstrations and sit-in programmes have been going on at Shaheed Noor Hossain Chattar and in front of Awami League headquarters on Bangabandghu Avenue since morning.

Right after Awami League announced the programme, press secretary to the chief adviser Shafiqul Alam published a post on Facebook Saturday highlighting the interim government’s tough stance against that programme of the party.

Adviser for youth and sports Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain also gave a strict warning in a Facebook post. They announced not to allow Awami League, ousted by the student-people mass uprising, to organise any procession, rally or programme on the street.

On 10 November, 1987, Noor Hossain, a leader of Jubo League, youth front of Awami League, was killed in police firing when he had staged protests against the then autocratic rule of Gen HM Ershad at the capital’s zero point.

The 26-year-old took to the streets with the slogan ‘Swairachar Nipat Jak, Gonotantra Mukti Pak’ (down with autocracy, let democracy be freed) inscribed in white on his chest and back. His death sparked a mass uprising that finally overthrew the Ershad regime.