Bangladesh on Tuesday (Aug 5) is commemorating the first anniversary of the mass uprising that brought an end to the 15-year rule of the Awami League. On this day last year, tens of thousands of students and ordinary citizens poured onto the streets, defying curfews and security barricades, to demand the resignation of the then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her government.
At precisely 3:00 pm on August 5, 2024, before any official announcement from the military, jubilant crowds surged into the streets, waving national flags and chanting slogans of victory. Processions emerged from every neighborhood—children in school uniforms, young men with headbands fashioned from the national flag, imams from mosques, local vegetable vendors, and elderly citizens—marching toward the city’s main thoroughfares, their voices unified in cries of “Bangladesh! Bangladesh!”
The events leading up to the August 5 uprising began in July 2024, with a student protest at Dhaka University against the government’s decision to reserve quotas in public employment. The slogan “Merit, not quotas!” quickly gained momentum, evolving into a singular political demand: “One goal, one demand—Hasina, when will you go?”
The student-led movement soon spread beyond the capital to educational institutions across the country—public and private universities, schools, madrasas, and colleges alike. The situation escalated on July 16, when police fatally shot student protester Abu Sayeed in Rangpur during a peaceful demonstration. Footage of the unarmed student being shot spread rapidly on social media, sparking outrage nationwide. Around the same time, student leader Wasim of the opposition-backed Chhatra Dal died during a protest in Chattogram.
Public anger deepened. The student-led movement morphed into a national call for regime change. The death toll climbed, and the protest gained wider participation.
Sheikh Hasina had attempted to defuse the situation by offering dialogue, stating on August 3 that the gates of her residence were open to protesting students. But the protest organizers categorically rejected the offer, pressing forward with their “Nine-point demand.”
On that same day, protesters held demonstrations and rallies across the country under the banner of the “Anti-Discrimination Student Movement.” By early afternoon, crowds began gathering at the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka. At around 5:30 pm, Nahid Islam, a coordinator of the movement, declared the government's fall as a primary goal and issued 15 directives to intensify the non-cooperation movement. Simultaneously, cultural figures staged a protest concert at Rabindra Sarobar, also demanding the government's resignation.
The scale and determination of the protest prompted responses within the armed forces. During an “Officers’ Address” held at Army Headquarters on August 3, Army chief General Waker-uz-Zaman listened to officers from various ranks, many of whom expressed their unwillingness to use force against civilians. In his own address, he stated, “The Bangladesh Army is a symbol of the people’s trust. We will always stand by the people in defense of national interest.”
Despite mounting casualties across the country, the non-cooperation campaign intensified on August 4. What had initially been planned as a march to Dhaka on 6 August was brought forward by the movement’s coordinators to 5 August.
From early morning on that day, the military and law enforcement agencies set up blockades at major entry points into the capital. Protesters dismantled the barricades and continued forward. By late morning, people from across the country were entering Dhaka in droves, defying curfews and official warnings. Key areas, including Shahbagh and the Shaheed Minar, became epicenters of mass gatherings. Media reports began circulating that the Army Chief would soon address the nation.
Amid the rising unrest, international media outlets reported that Sheikh Hasina had fled the country. AFP and the BBC issued breaking news reports confirming that Hasina, accompanied by her sister Sheikh Rehana, had left Bangladesh around 11 am on August 5. BBC sources within the military confirmed that she departed the Ganabhaban (official residence) by helicopter to Agartala, India, from where she was flown to New Delhi aboard a special Indian Air Force aircraft.
With the internet back online, news of Hasina’s departure spread like wildfire. Crowds outside the Prime Minister’s residence erupted into chants: “She’s fled! She’s fled! Sheikh Hasina has fled!” Jubilant demonstrators stormed the compound, raised the national flag, and declared their long-sought freedom. The streets of Dhaka and cities across the nation turned into scenes of celebration, as the people of Bangladesh rejoiced at what they saw as the fall of authoritarian rule.
While today marks a solemn remembrance for over 1,400 lives lost during the month-long uprising, it is also celebrated as a rebirth of the republic. The interim government, led by Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus, has since vowed to steer the country toward a more democratic, inclusive, and corruption-free future.
On this historic day, the people of Bangladesh pause to reflect on the sacrifices made, the cost of their freedom, and the fragile hope of building a new national order.
SMS/
