Protests rock the country

Tens of thousands of people from all walks of life joined a rally at Central Shaheed Minar in the capital today to protest the killings and mass arrests over quota protests as sporadic clashes were reported in some parts of the country.
People in droves from different parts of Dhaka thronged the Shaheed Minar in the afternoon following a call by the Anti-Discriminatory Student Movement who are spearheading a protest against the government’s heavy-handed response in policing a protest over reforming the quota system in government jobs.
In the rally, the organisers of the students’ movement announced a single-point demand for the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her cabinet members. They also rejected a talks proposal by the PM.
Rallies against civil service job quotas sparked days of mayhem in July that killed more than 200 people in some of the worst unrest of Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year tenure.
By 4:15pm, every corner of Shaheed Minar was filled to the brim as people came to the historical monument from different areas. 
Expressing solidarity with the students’ protest, even rickshaw pullers gathered on the road in front of the Central Shaheed Minar.
They blocked one side of the road and chanted slogans asking the Sheikh Hasina-led government to step down immediately.
Talking to The Daily Star, Aziz Miah, a rickshaw-puller, said they were silent for years despite the years of oppression by the Awami League government.
“Our brothers were killed when they protested. How long will we remain silent? The time has come to take to the streets,” he said.
Earlier, the organisers of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, who spearheaded the quota reform protests, urged all to join their programmes to make it a success.
Since the morning, thousands of students gathered at various places in the capital including Shahbagh, Mirpur-10, Rampura, Badda, and Science Lab intersection and staged protests blocking the surrounding roads.
At around 2:45pm, several thousand protesters including students, who blocked the Science Lab intersection and Shahbagh, marched towards Shaheed Minar.
Several thousands of students from different private universities, colleges and schools blocked the road at Merul, Badda, Rampura bridge and Banasree areas.
Chanting slogans, they demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and justice for the students who were killed during the clashes with law enforcers across the country.
They blocked the Merul Badda road from 11.30am.
Around 2.00pm, another group of students joined the Badda crowd, bringing out a procession from Banasree and South Banasree area.
Students from various universities, including BRAC University, North South University, East West University and United International University, Imperial College, Rajdhani Ideal College took to the streets.
Some parents were also seen accompanying their children.
A tense situation prevailed in the area as most of the traders and shoppers closed their shops.
Vehicular movement in the area also came to a halt. Public buses were seen taking U-turns from the Rampura Bazar area.
Law enforcers were seen standing in front of BTV bhaban and Banasree.
At the Science Lab Intersection, hundreds of students staged a protest there, effectively blocking the Mirpur Road.
The student organisers took position on the elephant statue of the intersection and delivered speeches.
One of the organisers said in his speech, “We cannot betray the blood of our brothers. We shall not leave the street without implementing the one-point demand—that is resignation of PM Hasina.”
The students, blocking the intersection also chanted slogans like One Point, One Demand, Hasina must go; Down with Hasina.
Students also painted the street with slogans like 1234, Hasina, you Leave your throne (1234 Sheikh Hasina Godi Chhar).
A group of students were seen requesting vehicles to turn away and making way for emergency service vehicles such as ambulances.
Guardians of the students also joined the protest with snacks and water for their protesting children.
One of the guardians said, ” I have come to ensure that my children are safe. If police come to arrest them or shoot at them, l will tell them to arrest me or shoot me first.”
When asked who your child here is, he said, “They are all my children.”
A mother said, “This government has killed so many people. They don’t have any right to stay in power.”
A handful of police were there but maintained a clear distance from the protesters.
Meanwhile, hundreds of protesters gathered at Mirpur 10 roundabout.
The protesters started gathering there around noon halting traffic movement.
Chanting slogans like “Why did my brother die?” the protesters recalled the victims of violence during the quota reform protests, reports our correspondent from the spot.
Some individuals were seen writing various slogans on the road. Here too law enforcers maintained a safe distance from the protesters.
In Faridpur, at least eight protesters were injured today as clashes broke out between police and protesters, who were demonstrating for justice for those killed in the ongoing protests.
The clash took place in front of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical College Hospital in the Bhanga Rastar Mor area this morning.
According to eyewitnesses, students of the medical college gathered on their campus for a protest march around 10:45am. Students from other educational institutions also joined them.
Later, they brought out a precession.
Eyewitnesses said a clash broke out between students and ruling party men when the latter attacked them with sticks and bricks in the Goalchamot area.
Many law enforcers were positioned in Bhanga Raster Mor area.
As the clash ensured, people from surrounding houses and shops joined the students and hurled bricks chips at the ruling party men.
To disperse the demonstrators, police used tear gas, sound grenades and bullets.
In Cumilla, at least 50 students were injured, including six with bullets, in clashes between students, ruling party activists and police in Chandina upazila.
The students took position in the Police Lines area in the upazila in the afternoon to stage a demonstration, said witnesses. At one stage, Awami League leaders and activists allegedly fired shots and exploded cocktails at the demonstrators, leaving at least 50 people injured.
In Chandina, some people set fire to the vehicle of the Assistant Commissioner of Land. The protesters had earlier blocked the Dhaka-Chittagong highway, holding a sit-in to voice their demands, but were met with force by police and ruling party activists.
Protesters also blocked the Dhaka-Chattogram highway in the Jatrabari-Signboard area in the afternoon.
Meanwhile, in Naogaon, at least 7 students were hurt in clashes between them and ruling party men and law enforcers. After the clashes, students also vandalised a Awami League office.
In Rajshahi, vehicular movement on the Rajshahi-Dhaka highway remained suspended since the morning as the students of Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (Ruet), Rajshahi University and general people blocked the highway.
The students of the two universities took to the street around 10:30am defying rains and chanted various anti-government slogans.