A series of clashes erupted between police and quota reform protesters in the Jatrabari area of Dhaka, specifically around Kajla and Shonir Akhra on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway, on the night of July 17 and continued through July 18.
At the time, police fired rubber bullets, sound grenades and tear gas shells, while the protesters retaliated with brickbats.
The violent confrontations resulted in at least 50 injuries, including police officers, journalists, students and ordinary people.
Tragically, a journalist was shot dead.
On the evening of the second day, the tension in Shonir Akhra and Kajla was palpable. Fires were burning at various points on the roads, and there were no vehicles on the highway, as protesters blocked all traffic, including rickshaws. However, ambulances were allowed to pass.
As night fell, the areas plunged into darkness, punctuated by the sound of cocktail bomb explosions from around 7:30pm. Protesters set fires to tyres and wood and shouted slogans. The Mayor Mohammad Hanif Flyover toll plaza in Kajla was also set ablaze.
Several people were seen looting items from the toll plaza.
The protesters continued their blockade and demonstration, setting fires and obstructing roads until almost 11pm.
Although the situation seemed calmer on the morning of July 19, tensions flared again by midday with several more clashes between protesters and police. By noon, at least three people had died and 10 to 12 had been injured by gunfire, with the wounded transported to Dhaka Medical College Hospital by rickshaw. Two of the injured were declared dead upon arrival, although their identities remained unknown.
Gunfire continued into the night, and the three areas witnessed extensive gunfire and arson even during a subsequent curfew.
Md Abul Kalam, a resident of Jatrabari and a teacher at a high school, said the past week had been indescribable, adding that the brutality he had witnessed had left him unable to eat, sleep or function normally.
Key events during 5-day internet outage“The situation here escalated after Thursday (July 18). There were members of both the BNP and disgruntled or rebel Awami League members, as well as the local councillor’s opponents… Everyone was furious after Thursday's events."
Residents brought food to protesters
To support the quota reform protesters, residents of Shonir Akhra, Kajla and Jatrabari brought water, snacks and various fruits to them, with many joining the protest alongside the students.
"People brought us food and water from their homes. We were genuinely touched by this support," said Tanvir Hossain, a student at Kabi Nazrul Government College.
Mujahid, who studies at Government Titumir College, said initially they had to buy water and saline with their own money, but later people brought them these supplies from their homes, showing their support for the movement.
"It was heartening to see that despite the inconvenience caused to pedestrians, they were still supporting our movement, yet the government has not shown such good sense," he added.
Whose responsibility is it anyway?Monaem Shikdar, a businessman collecting water for the protesters, said seeing the students’ thirst, he had brought 10 cases of water in a rickshaw. “Many others brought saline and water too. Their cause is just; who will stand with them if we do not, as parents?"
A student from Dhaka Imperial College noted locals had not only provided food but also taken injured protesters to hospitals and offered shelter during police crackdowns.
"I used to see in movies how freedom fighters were given shelter and food by the people during the [Liberation] War. Today, seeing the support from people for our movement, I feel the same resemblance to those wartime scenes."
Overwhelming support for quota reform movement
Not only did the general public in these three areas support the protesting students, but people in other parts of Dhaka also assisted them in various ways.
“Yesterday (July 18), we protested near Jamuna Future Park. Thousands of students from Brac University and other institutions joined us there. We blocked the road from noon. The general public also participated. Seeing how they provided us with food along the road filled my heart with pride,” Faruk Hossain, a student from Titumir College, told this correspondent.
‘I lost my son to save Tk500’He added that people had given them everything from food to basic medical care. “They distributed thousands of bottles of drinking water, biscuits, bread, chocolate and saline. They provided us with masks and other necessary support for protection. We protested all day on the streets, but no one went hungry because the general public ensured that the protesting students were well-fed."
Evening blockade
On July 18 evening and Friday afternoon, a wide range of people, including shopkeepers, mechanics, hawkers and locals, joined the protests.
One of them, Kamal Uddin, said it was no longer just a student movement; it was a people's movement. “Why did the government not propose its compromise earlier? There would not have been so much bloodshed today if it had.”
When asked why he was participating in the blockade, Kamal responded: "As a citizen and a father, I cannot stay home while my children are on the streets. The police have indiscriminately killed my children's peers. We demand justice."
Meanwhile, Md Abul Hasan, armed with sticks, said bullets fired by the police hit his shop the previous night. “That is why I closed my shop and joined the protest. The police continue to open fire today."
Sohel Ahmed, a resident of Shonir Akhra, said the police had shot his sister-in-law and injured his neighbour.
“The police even chased protesters into their homes and fired at them, which is why everyone is so angry. The students’ movement is just. My children are also protesting, and as a father, I cannot sit idle."
