Several thousand people joined a sit-in program at Rabindra Sarobar organized by musicians seeking justice for those killed during the recent violence.
Musicians and other artists gathered there around 3pm.
Later, they left for Shaheed Minar to join the students.
However, mass people joined there and stayed.
People joined with placards saying “Mother of Massacre”, “#Stepdown Hasina”, “Remove Fascist BAL regime” “Awaz Utha Bangladesh”, “Pani Lagbe, Pani?”, “#FreeHannan” and more.
Musicians and general people chanted slogans supporting the ongoing protest.
People were seen wearing the national flag. Some artists performed fire breathing as a part of the protest.
Hasan, a band member of Ark said: “I express my sorrow as some important structures of Bangladesh were destroyed, but we can rebuild them. However, the lives who are lost and gone, we cannot get them back. This unwanted situation needs to be stopped, and there should be a promise of getting back to normal,” he added.
Morshed Mishu, a cartoonist who previously made Forbes Asia’s 30 under 30 list asked: “Why the journalists are not joining the movement? You all are here just to cover news? Didn’t journalists get injured and lose their lives? Should not you raise your voices if only one journalist were killed?”
“There are not a specific number of people who were killed,” he added.
“People who are not into politics, they are being tagged as Jamat-Shibir-BNP,” said Mishu.
“These injustice, killing, lies, are constantly being said by the prime minister and the cabinet.”
“Only yesterday (on Friday) they changed the tone. One member said that it was his failure. Mister Palak admitted his failure regarding the internet shutdown. The rest of them need to accept their failure.”
Upon asking about stopping the protest if they admit their failure, Mishu said: “Can justice for these hundreds of killings be achieved merely by saying sorry?”
“Now the situation is like shooting is fine in this country. There is no problem if someone shoots, but if someone sings, they fear. They fear of this g-a—a-n, but we are fear of g-u-n now.”
“If one Hannan is arrested, millions of Hannan will rise,” he said.
“They cannot find a defined number of who were killed till now, they can say them shahid, they are still crying for the properties like Metrorail.”
Mishu said this failed government does not have the right to be in position. He claims the government is unfit and they lost their capability of being in power long before.
Mishu demands the unconditional release of those who were arrested during the quota movement.
Skibkhan, a rapper of Deshi MCs said: “We demand to free Hannan, save Bangladeshi students and save Bangladesh.”
“The foundation of this nation is language and freedom of speech. So, it’s a direct attack against the spirit of liberation war,” he added.
Skibkhan confirmed that another rapper named Gold Cube is on the run right now.
“Some rappers are made music and some are working behind the scenes. Some are active online and some offline,” said Skibkhan.
Evan Haque, a music producer said: “The first thing in a movement is gathering together. Rabindra Sarobar is a place closer to the hearts of musicians thus we gathered here. Now, we will move towards the Shaheed Minar together.”
“Hannan needs to be released, whatever he said is true,” he added.
Apart from musicians, mass people also joined the protest.
Saida Sultana, a housewife from the Dhanmondi area said: “We are here to protest for those students who were killed and thousands of them who were arrested.”
She said the murders which happened all around the country were not seen in any other countries of the world.
Wishing to remain anonymous, a Chartered Accountant who came with his family, said: “The misruling that we are seeing for the last 15 years, has reached a level now where lives are being lost.”
“There is no justice or governance in this country, we cannot tolerate that” he added.
“This country could have been the next Singapore and now where is a country.”
He said he joined the protest because of these reasons.