A sit-in program staged by the Shadhinota-Sarbovoumotto Rokkha Committee ((SHAROC) on Tuesday in front of the Raju Sculpture, calling for a four-point agenda that includes the removal of President Mohammed Shahabuddin.
The demonstrators demanded the president's resignation, constitutional reform, a ban on the Chhatra League, and the establishment of a revolutionary national government.
Advocate Moniruzzaman, a Supreme Court lawyer and one of the protest's organizers, criticized the ruling Awami League, saying: “The Awami League has maintained a fascist rule for the last 15 years. The president, appointed by the Awami League, has long since lost the ability to hold office. Immediate constitutional reform is essential to end the ongoing autocracy.”
He said: “This president, who seeks to legitimize Hasina and her allies, must be removed. A revolutionary government needs to be established, and the terrorist forces of the Awami League and Chhatra League must be banned.”
Shah Newaz Shuvo, a former Dhaka University student and fellow organizer, expressed his disdain for the Awami League, saying: “The Awami League is not an organization, it is a thieves' den. We cannot allow the freedom that was bought with blood to be trampled upon again. We refuse to give them any space, and we demand the removal of the president who supports them.”
24-hr ultimatum given for president’s resignation
Meanwhile, Students and general public also held a sit-in at Bangabhaban demanding the removal of President Mohammed Shahabuddin.
They faced police obstruction near the High Court Mazar intersection but managed to advance up to Bangabhaban.
They attempted to stage a sit-in inside Bangabhaban but the members of law enforcement agencies barred them from going there.The demonstrators then held a rally outside Bangabhaban, where they delivered speeches for half an hour.
During the program, an ultimatum was given for the president to resign within the next 24 hours.
The announcement was made at 4:30pm on Tuesday in front of Bangabhaban.
The protesters stated: "the current President is an ally of the Awami League and Sheikh Hasina. We do not want him to remain in the position of president. Therefore, we have given him a 24-hour ultimatum to resign from his post. If he does not resign within 24 hours, we know how to remove him from power. If the ultimatum is not met, we will build a relentless movement."
Ultimatum to ban Chhatra League
The Antit-discrimination Student Movement held a massive demonstration at the Central Shaheed Minar on Tuesday afternoon.
Sarjis Alam, one of the key coordinators of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, also attended the protest rally which held at Central Shaheed Minar on Tuesday afternoon.
Addressing the rally, Sarjis Alam called upon the movement to unite nationwide behind these demands.
Giving an ultimatum of two days to ban Chhatra League as a terrorist organisation, Sarjis said: "The movement wants to send a clear message that if needed again, we are ready to give our eyes, ready to give our feet, ready to give our hands, even ready to give our lives."
"The rise of the fascist Chhatra League will not be tolerated as it is responsible for killing our brothers. Even with our lives, we will fight forever to resist the fascists named Chhatra League, Jubo League and Awami League," he added.
Abdul Hannan Masud, the central coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, has issued an ultimatum demanding the banning of the Chhatra League, labeling it a terrorist organization.
He asserted that a political group responsible for the deaths of individuals has no right to engage in politics.
Masud made this statement while criticizing the current president Shahabuddin, for his misleading comments regarding former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's resignation.
He urged the president to step down, claiming that the student body and the public no longer wish to see him in office.
Masud warned that if the president did not resign, students and the public would besiege Bangabhaban, reminiscent of Hasina’s escape.
He declared that the spirit of the students and the public would persist until a new Bangladesh is established, emphasizing the need to repeal the 72-era fascist constitution and create a new one.
At the protest, participants brandished various placards and chanted slogans such as "Step Down Chuppu," "Beware of Awami League's Lackeys," and "Chuppu, You Must Leave, The People Are Coming."
These chants reflected the protesters' demands for the president's resignation and their frustration with the current political climate.
Another group named Raktim July 24, which advocates for the welfare of families affected by recent mass uprising, organised a separate sit-in with the some injured victims, expressing solidarity with the demand for the President’s removal.
Due to the protest movement demanding the removal of president, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has intensified security in the Bangabhaban area. A large number of police, army APCs, and water cannons have been deployed.
In a recent interview with Matiur Rahman Chowdhury, editor of The Daily Manab Zamin, President Mohammed Shahabuddin mentioned that he heard Sheikh Hasina resigned from her position as Prime Minister; however, he has no documentary evidence to confirm this, including any resignation letter.
He stated, "I have failed to obtain the resignation letter despite numerous attempts. Perhaps she did not get the time."
This conversation was published in the newspaper's political magazine, “Janatar Chokh,” on Sunday.
Sheikh Hasina sought refuge in India on August 5 amid an unprecedented mass uprising.