Solidarity with Bangladesh student movement in Britain, India
Solidarity congregations and processions were held in East London, UK, and Kolkata, India, on Sunday and Monday respectively expressing solidarity with the recent student movement in Bangladesh demanding safe roads.
A large number of Bangladeshi immigrants and others in Britain, held a congregation at Altab Ali Park in East London Sunday and sought redress to the chaotic traffic movement in Bangladesh.
The participants said the the movement was to 'awaken the conscience' and denounced the attacks on the students under police cover.
The participants also carried placards with slogans, ‘safe roads’, ‘we want justice’, 'rule of law' and so on. An English woman also joined the protest with a placard that said, 'How can a police beat the students!'
The congregation observed two-minute silence for the two students killed by a reckless bus in Kurmitola, Dhaka on 29 July triggering the mass protest.
Later, a human chain formed by the participants called on the Bangladesh government to implement the nine-point demands declared by the young protesters.
They also denounced deployment of police and vigilante to contain the student movement.
In India, the student wing of the leftist SUCI (Socialist Unity Centre of India), Democratic Students Organisation (DSO) of West Bengal held a 'solidarity procession' on Monday in Kolkata empathising with the young protesters’ cause in Bangladesh.
The procession starting from Ramlila Maidan in Kolkata marched towards the Deputy High Commission of Bangladesh.
The demonstrators holding placards with varied slogans called on to stop violence against the students.
Police halted the procession, as the participants reached near the Deputy High Commission.
The demonstrators then delivered a message to the protesting students expressing empathy with the movement.
“The movement of the students in Bangladesh demanding safe roads is a source of inspiration for us. We, too, want safe roads and accident-free roads. This movement has shown a new path for us,” said Sourav Ghosh, the general secretary of West Bengal DSO.
Another procession by DSO, marching towards the Deputy High Commission from Park Circus, was obstructed by the police.
The demonstrators tried and failed to break the barricade.
Students from different student organisations of Jadavpur University joined the demonstration.
“We have complete support for the student movement. We want safe roads, and we demand the students are not attacked,” said Saikat, a participating student leader.
The death of two students killed on Airport Road, Dhaka on 29 July as a reckless bus ran over them injuring several others, sparked off widespread protests across Bangladesh.
The students’ peaceful demonstration along with checking driving licenses, and regulating traffic movements stirred people home and abroad.
During the weeklong protests, the students were attacked and the news appeared in the international media.
A woman takes part in the demonstration with a placard in East London, UK. 5 August 2018.
People in a congregation at the Shaheed Minar premises at Altab Ali Park in East London, UK, express solidarity with the student movement in Bangladesh demanding safe roads. 5 August 2018.
Children hold up placards in the congregation. East London, UK.
A section of the people in the solidarity congregation in East London.
Students of Jadavpur University, India hold a banner during the procession expressing solidarity with the student movement in Bangladesh demanding safe roads. 6 August 2018.
Jadavpur University students in India carry placards with various slogans in the procession expressing solidarity with the student movement in Bangladesh demanding safe roads. 6 August 2018.
DSO (Democratic Students Organisation), student wing of the leftist political party Socialist Unity Centre of India (SUCI), hold a 'solidarity procession' empathasing with the student movement demanding safe roads in Bangladesh. 6 August 2018.