February 14 marks Autocracy Resistance Day.
On this day in 1983, a student movement against military rule was met with indiscriminate police firing, resulting in the deaths of at least 10 protesters.
The student movement later escalated into a nationwide anti-autocracy movement.
On September 23, 1982, General Hussain Muhammad Ershad’s government proposed a new education policy.
Even before its formal announcement by then education minister Dr Majid Khan, student organizations launched a unified protest on September 17, 1982.
As part of this movement, on February 14, 1983, the Dhaka University Chhatra Shongram Parishad, the unified platform of student protesters, announced a march to the Secretariat to submit a memorandum opposing the education policy.
However, before the march could take place, police opened fire on a protest rally, killing Jafar, Zainal, Dipali, Kanchan and several others, while many others were injured.
In the face of widespread public outrage, the government later revoked the proposed education policy.
Since then, February 14 has been observed as Autocracy Resistance Day.
Every year, on this occasion, political parties and student organizations pay tribute at the Shiksha Odhikar Chattar (Education Rights Square), near the Education Bhaban intersection.
The commemorative program begins at 7:30am.
