Protesters under the banner "Students Against Terrorism" held a candlelight vigil and mourning assembly demanding justice for the murder of Shahriar Alam Shammo, a student of the Institute of Education and Research at Dhaka University.
The program was held at the base of the Raju Sculpture on the university campus at 7:40pm on Saturday.
During the gathering, Shammo’s family members shared memories of him. The organization called for a minute of silence and urged students to light candles in every residential hall of the university.
Mubasshir Mahmud Nibir, a student of the Department of Theatre and Performance Studies at Dhaka University, said: "If I were in Shammo’s place today—or if it were someone very close to you or me, like a brother or a friend—would the administration still remain trapped in some invisible web, failing to ensure justice?"
Speaking about student apathy, he added: "If we are to blame anyone for this murder, I would blame myself, I would blame you, I would blame all of us—the fault lies in our unconsciousness, in our disconnection."
Students present at the gathering admitted that they had failed to unite earlier to demand justice for Shammo’s murder or to ensure a safe campus environment.
However, they emphasized the need to now stand together under one banner and build a collective movement.
They expressed hope that a united student body would accelerate the judicial process.
Following the assembly, the students announced their plan to visit Shahbagh police station to inquire about the progress of the case.
Criticizing the Dhaka University administration, the protesters said that Shammo was the 76th student to be murdered at the university and expressed concern over whether justice had ever been served for the previous 75 cases.
They warned that their movement would continue until the suspects are arrested and legal proceedings begin.
Additionally, they announced a campus-wide wall-writing campaign on Sunday to raise awareness about Shammo’s murder.
