July-August: When Bangladesh rose above all differences

Bangladesh has a glorious history of mass movement. It took birth as an independent nation through a nine-month war against the Pakistani forces in 1971. The people here have since continued to fight against all threats to their democratic rights.

However, the way the people tolerated the excessively authoritarian rule of Sheikh Hasina throughout the past one decade developed a sense among many that it is quite impossible now to wage similar movements despite having more effective elements on the ground, or some of the previous glories would not come true had those been in the contemporary era.

In the previous two months – July and August, the youth took it upon themselves to prove that the historic spirit of fighting against injustices is still alive, and even more powerful in the contemporary era. And, the world watched in awe as the authoritarian regime, once thought invincible, crumbled under the student-led mass movement, and prime minister Sheikh Hasina had to flee the country on 5 August.

The movement continued for 36 days at a stretch. At least 758 people died and thousands suffered injuries, mostly in police shootings, throughout the protests. None of the previous movements, except for the Liberation War, encountered such a violent action from the authorities and led to such large-scale casualties.

It all began on 1 July with an apparently straightforward student protest against the quota system in government jobs on the Dhaka University campus. Prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her administration consistently undermined the students as well as their movement and responded to it heavy-handedly. Arbitrary use of live ammunition and subsequent deaths in broad daylight rubbed salt on the accumulated wounds of people and led to the outburst of their grievances.

At the initial stage, quite a few could have predicted the seismic changeover in state power that followed. Sheikh Hasina had cemented her grip on power throughout the last 15 years and dismantled every possible threat to her authority in a planned way. All state institutions were reconfigured to serve the interests of the ruling elite, while dissents were systematically silenced, either through brute force or cunning subterfuge.

Adding more, the growing sense of individualism over recent decades ensured a fertile ground for the authoritarian regime. Society became extremely polarized due to various reasons, while the youth were largely distracted by different superficial pursuits – memes, reels, vlogging, roasting, and the like.

There grew up a fresh generation with the so-called ‘I hate politics’ ideology, as there had been no credible national elections as well as a fair political ground in the country since 2009. Being disenfranchised by the state, the youth nurtured a deep-seated apathy toward the state leaders as well as the state institutions, and were more engaged in virtual banter than real-life activism.

Crony capitalism entrenched itself in every layer of society. The government, to safeguard its own interests, set up a group of beneficiaries in every sector and ensured that they thrive, no matter even if they exploit the common people.

But what the government underestimated was the latent power within the very youth it had written off. When the protests began, it was the same young people who took to the streets en masse and refused to be cowed by the authorities’ repressive tactics.

The state apparatus collapsed like a house of cards as soon as the common people came forward to fight shoulder to shoulder with the students. When dozens of students were being killed daily in police shootings in the third week of July, the entire nation started falling in line against the government. The more repressive the law enforcement agencies turned, the more resistant the public became.

The youth stood before bullets in open arms to protest the injustices with their fellows. Those who used to remain busy with superficial pursuits changed completely overnight and started discovering their love for the country and its people, as well as the inherited instinct to fight against injustices.

A heart-wrenching but inspirational video clip recently gained attention on social media. A senior police officer named Iqbal was seen in the casually recorded video telling former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and former inspector general of police Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun regarding the bravery of the protesting students and other people.

"We shoot one dead, or we wound one, and that is the only one that falls. The rest do not budge, sir. And that is why we are so scared and worried," Iqbal explained, his voice betraying the fear that had gripped the authorities.

It was the core spirit of the movement that could never fail. It was no ordinary protest. Unlike the political protests, the steering wheel of this movement was in the hands of a generation that had shed its fear of death.

At the beginning of the attacks on the quota reform movement, Abu Sayeed, a student from Begum Rokeya University in Rangpur, embraced a hail of bullets with open arms on 16 July. His bravery ignited a fire within the youth, and it soon spread to the masses and fueled nationwide protests for justice. And, further deadly police actions in the following two weeks culminated the protests into a one-point demand for the government’s resignation.

As the regime collapsed on 5 August, all the meticulously designed state apparatus – particularly the law enforcement agencies – fell into disarray and chaos ensued.

Yet, it was again the youth who stepped in to restore order. In collaboration with the armed forces, the students patrolled neighborhoods, managed traffic on city thoroughfares, and exerted their utmost efforts to ensure stability in the following two weeks.

The movement instigated a strong sense of civic duty among citizens. Many people shared on social media that they have been feeling a sense of ownership over the country since the downfall of the authoritarian government.

It became evident in their activities and enthusiasm in doing every possible thing for the betterment of the nation. As a devastating flood battered Feni, Cumilla, and some other adjoining districts from 21 August, the nation rallied once more, with the youth at the forefront.

The students coordinated a massive, arguably the most extensive one in history, relief campaign at the Teachers and Students Center (TSC) of Dhaka University. People from all walks of life lent their hands to make the initiative successful and help the flood victims. It was a rare and extremely powerful display of national unity, where even children donated their savings, and women contributed their most precious ornaments to aid those in need in the flood-hit districts.

Throughout the last two months, all displayed the utmost hunger to contribute to the betterment of the country. Even non-resident Bangladeshis (NRBs) sought to know in public if there are any ways for them to be engaged in service to the nation.

Instead of making fuss about any oversaturated spirits or family cults, the nation was united and purposeful, driven by a newfound sense of ownership and responsibility. The youth who were once dismissed as politically disengaged now emerged as the architects of a new Bangladesh, where every citizen found themselves as a stakeholder.

Still, some are refraining themselves from dreaming big as the country also has a long history of missing opportunities to stand stronger after successful movements. After 53 years of independence, Bangladesh now stands at a juncture when it cannot afford another failure under any circumstances.

*Misbahul Haque is a journalist at Prothom Alo. He can be reached at [email protected].