The recent quota reform protests in Bangladesh have sparked a wave of solidarity from a diverse group of individuals, ranging from teachers and parents to civil society members and cultural organizations. According to a report by New Age, a leading English language daily published from Dhaka, thousands of people have come together to support the students‘ demand for justice for the killings that occurred during the protests and to end wholesale arrests.
One of the ways in which people have shown their support is by changing their profile pictures on social media platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram, to a red color following a call made by the protesting students. This simple yet powerful gesture has helped to raise awareness and show solidarity with the students‘ cause.
The Student Movement Against Discrimination has urged students and people from all walks of life to take photos covering their faces and eyes with red clothes and share them online as a form of protest. This call to action has led to many individuals, both men and women, joining protests in different places dressed in red attire, with some even masking their faces and foreheads with red fabrics.
Despite facing obstacles, students have continued to block roads and organize processions to push for their nine-point charter of demands. These demands include an unconditional apology from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the removal of certain ministers from government and party, the sacking of police officials responsible for the killings, and their trial.
In response to the government’s crackdown on protesters, which resulted in at least 213 deaths between July 16 and July 29, students have announced a fresh program titled ‚March for Justice‘ for Wednesday. This program includes marches towards courts, rallies on campuses, and demonstrations on roads across the country, with the aim of demanding United Nations investigations into the mass killings, wholesale arrests, attacks, cases, and disappearances.
The protests, which initially began in early July to seek reform in quotas for government jobs, turned violent following an attack on protesters by the ruling party student body, the Bangladesh Chhatra League, on July 15. The government’s subsequent brutal crackdown on protesters led to widespread backlash and prompted the deployment of the army and the announcement of a curfew on July 19 to restore order.
As the situation continues to unfold, it is clear that the students and their supporters are determined to seek justice and hold those responsible for the killings and violence accountable. The solidarity shown by a cross-section of society highlights the importance of standing together in the face of injustice and fighting for a more just and equitable society.