After a seven-hour sit-in, leaders and activists of the Chhatra Dal, the student wing of the BNP, vacated the Shahbagh intersection in Dhaka on Thursday.
The demonstration, which began around 10 a.m., also took place at the nearby Intercontinental Hotel intersection.
Around 5 p.m., Chhatra Dal President Rakibul Islam officially ended the day’s program.
The protesters demanded the immediate arrest and visible progress in the trial of those involved in the killing of Shahriar Alam Samyo, a Chhatra Dal leader from Dhaka University.
Rakibul led the sit-in at Shahbagh, while General Secretary Nasir Uddin led the parallel demonstration near the Intercontinental Hotel. Protesters carried placards and chanted slogans such as:
Participants included activists from Dhaka University, Jagannath University, Tejgaon College, Dhaka College, and various branches of Chhatra Dal across Dhaka.
They criticized the administration for failing to arrest the perpetrators even nine days after Samyo`s murder. Demanding swift justice, they warned of tougher programs if progress isn’t made.
Announcing the end of the day’s protest, Rakibul said, “We braved the rain to continue this movement. We’re ready to stay on the streets until Samyo gets justice.” He called on the interim government to take the sentiment of Chhatra Dal activists seriously and warned that silence would not last if justice is delayed.
He also noted that while the administration claims to have arrested three individuals, they have yet to confirm whether those arrested were actually involved in the killing.
