Nation marks pivotal anniversary

The Star

4 hours ago

Flags of freedom: People waving flags and setting off coloured smoke as they celebrate the first anniversary of the student-led uprising that ousted Hasina, at Manik Mia Avenue outside Dhaka's parliament building.
The country's interim leader marked the one-year anniversary of the overthrow of the autocratic regime of Sheikh Hasina by calling for people to seize the 'opportunity' of reform.
But Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, the 85-year-old who is leading the caretaker government as its chief adviser until elections are held, also warned against those he said sought to roll back gains made.
'Today marks an unforgettable chapter in the history of Bangladesh', Yunus said yesterday, marking a day he said had led to 'liberating our beloved nation from the grip of long-standing fascist rule'.
The country has been in political turmoil since a student-led revolt ousted then-prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Aug 5, 2024, ending her 15-year rule.
The anniversary is a public holi­day, and apart from scattered political rallies, the streets of the capital, Dhaka, were quiet.
Ordinary Bangladeshis who could, took the opportunity to relax, while others continued the daily grind of work.
'The working-class people sacrificed their lives in large numbers and then returned to their regular jobs,' said Rafiqul Islam Helal, 40, running a roadside tea stall.
Activists carrying symbolic coffins and torches during a procession to mark the day of a student-led protest one year ago, in Dhaka, on July 16. — Reuters/AP
'Politics doesn't help us pay the bills, so we didn't take part in any programmes.'
Hasina's rule saw widespread human rights abuses, including the mass detention and extrajudicial killings of her political opponents, and Yunus has pledged to overhaul democratic institutions.
'The sacrifice of thousands has gifted us this rare opportunity for national reform, and we must protect it at any cost,' Yunus said.
'The fallen autocrats and their self-serving allies remain active, conspiring to derail our progress.'
But he said that while the interim government had made 'extensive reform efforts', a deal on measures to prevent a return to authoritarian rule remained elusive.
Efforts have made slow progress as political parties jostle for power ahead of elections, slated for early 2026.
'Dialogue continues with political parties and stakeholders on necessary reforms, including the political and electoral systems,' he added.
He called for people to remember the sacrifices made last year and work together.
'Let us stand united beyond all divisions to confront and defeat these threats,' he added.
'Together, we will build a Bangladesh where tyranny will never rise again.'
Protests began on July 1, 2024, with university students calling for reforms to a quota system for public sector jobs.
They culminated on Aug 5, when thousands of protesters stormed Hasina's palace as she escaped by helicopter.
Hasina, 77, remains in India, where she has defied court orders to attend her ongoing trial on charges amounting to crimes against humanity. — AFP