The day in 1983 witnessed a number of killings that included students mostly while protesting against the then autocracy of HM Ershad. Hence the day is recorded as another dark day into the history of the nation and marked as a day of resistance to the autocracy since then.
On the very day, among the martyrs were Jaynal, Jafar, Kanchan and Deepali and so on,who were killed as police opened fire on the procession that the students brought out against the then education minister Majid Khan proposed education policy.
The education policy was then deemed as another version of Sharif Commission in the military dictator Ayub Khan’s regime during Pakistan period.
Majid Khan education policy proposed the introduction of Arabic and English in the curriculum of the primary education, which was condemned as a move that Ershad attempted to use religion in a bid to safeguard and consolidate his autocratic rule.
The policy also proposed to increase the education expenses that would exclude the students who would fail to pay at least 50 percent of the expenditure.
Against the move to communalisation and commercialisation of the education, dissatisfaction mounted.The protests began to organise across the country. On the day ChhatraSangramParishad (students’ action council), the first politically organised platform against the military junta, announced the programme against the education policy.
When students reached near the High court area with the procession on the way towards the secretariat to submit a memorandum, police used baton, tear shell and water canon to disperse hundreds of students and fired on the protesting students indiscriminately, being ordered by HM Ershad who illegally captured state power on 24th March, 1982.
On that day, police along with other forces raided the university and tortured the students following the incident.
It was the first large-scale student protest against autocracy in Bangladesh, which is also remembered as the Movement of mid-February or Day of students’ resistance to autocracy.
After capturing power Ershadimposed ban on political activities.
On July 26, the autocrat announced the new education policy and Majid Khan placed the policy on September 23, 1982.
In face of fierce protests that followed the incident Ershad backtracked adopting the policy. However, the movement that gathered momentum over the yearseventually ousted the autocrat on December 6, 1990.
Different organisations are set to observe the day with various programmes to mark the occasion.
Former student leaders, student organisations belonging to then ChhatraSangramParishad will commemorate the martyrdom of the students during the regime of military dictator HM Ershad, paying tributes to the monument in front of ShikshaBhaban.
Various sections of political and cultural organisations will also observe the day with due respect.