One year ago today, July 26, Bangladesh woke to the sound of sirens and searchlights as law enforcement launched sweeping block raids across the capital, intensifying its crackdown on the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement (ADSM) and opposition-linked unrest.
In the early hours of the morning, Shahinbagh and Bashundhara Residential Area were cordoned off.
Officers conducted house-to-house searches, arresting individuals based on intelligence reports.
The raids, described by residents as “military-style,” marked a turning point in the government’s response to the protests that had gripped the nation since mid-July.
Later that day, three key ADSM coordinators — Nahid Islam, Asif Mahmud, and Abu Baker Mojumder — were picked up from Gonoshasthaya Nagar Hospital by plainclothes officers.
All three had been receiving treatment for injuries sustained during earlier clashes.
Detective Branch Additional Deputy Commissioner Junayed Alam confirmed their detention, saying: “Along with ensuring their safety, the three coordinators have been taken into DB custody. They will be asked whether they have any information regarding the violence.”
Meanwhile, prime minister Sheikh Hasina made a visit to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) to meet victims of the unrest.
She also toured the vandalized Bangladesh Television (BTV) headquarters in Rampura, where arson attacks had gutted studios, archives, and broadcasting equipment.
Her emotional appeal to the public — “Expose the culprits to justice” — was widely broadcast and interpreted as a call for mass accountability.
Among the day’s most heartbreaking developments was the death of six-year-old Riya Gope from Narayanganj, who had been shot in the head on July 19 while playing on her rooftop.
After six days in intensive care, she succumbed to her injuries at DMCH. Her father, Dipak Kumar Gope, had carried her to safety during the clashes, only to witness her fatal injury.
Meanwhile, Former Ducsu vice president Nurul Haque Nur was sent to jail following a five-day remand in a case over the vandalism and arson at Setu Bhaban.
Police alleged that a mob of 250–300 people stormed the government building on July 18, causing extensive damage.
Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader reiterated the party’s stance: “Legal actions will be taken against those who perpetrated the violence.”
In contrast, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir claimed that at least 3,000 BNP leaders and activists had been arrested by that day, accusing law enforcement of indiscriminate detentions.
In a rare internal shake-up, the Dhaka Metropolitan North Awami League dissolved 27 ward committees, citing their failure and inactivity during the protests.
The decision followed a five-hour meeting in Mohammadpur, where leaders admitted that organizational weaknesses had allowed opposition forces to dominate key areas.
As the day unfolded, the curfew in Dhaka, Gazipur, and Narshingdi was relaxed for nine hours, allowing limited movement and access to essential services. But the atmosphere remained tense, with helicopters reportedly circling over protest-prone zones and internet access still restricted in many areas.
