DHAKA : Bangladesh has entered the month of July recalling the nationwide movement that began as a student-led protest over quota reform in government jobs and, within weeks, transformed into a mass uprising that culminated in the fall of Sheikh Hasina's nearly 16-year autocratic rule on August 5, 2024.

August 5 is popularly dubbed as July 36 and the entire spell of movement is called July uprising or July movement or monsoon movement symbolizing the belief that the month of July - and the movement it represented - would not end until Sheikh Hasina stepped down.

What started on university campuses as a demand for reinstating a merit-based recruitment system quickly evolved into a broader movement against the Awami League regime as protests spread across the country and drew participation from students, professionals, workers, teachers, political activists and people from all walks of life.

The movement gained momentum from the first week of July after the High Court declared illegal the government's 2018 circular abolishing quotas in first and second-class government jobs, effectively restoring the previous quota system.

Students argued that the reinstatement of the quota system deprived meritorious candidates of equal opportunities and launched demonstrations demanding a rational reform of the recruitment process.

Although the movement initially focused solely on quota reform, the government's forceful response and repeated attacks on protesters by law enforcement agencies and activists of the now banned Awami League and its associate bodies turned the agitation into a nationwide anti-government movement.

As protests intensified throughout July, security forces and Awami League men tried to suppress the demonstrators brutally through crackdowns from university campuses to major cities, leaving hundreds dead and thousands injured. According to the United Nations, about 1,400 people were killed and nearly 20,000 others injured during the violence that continued until the fall of the government.

Student leaders first announced a nine-point demand, including accountability for the killings during the protests. However, following the detention of several key coordinators and continued violence, the movement escalated into a single-point demand seeking the resignation of Sheikh Hasina.

On August 3, coordinators of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement formally announced the one-point demand at a rally at the Central Shaheed Minar. Two days later, they called the "March to Dhaka" programme after violence on August 3 and 4 left scores dead across the country.

On the morning of August 5, despite an indefinite curfew and heavy security deployment, hundreds of thousands of people marched toward Dhaka from different parts of the country. Protesters converged on Shahbagh and other key points in the capital, while similar demonstrations were held nationwide.

As the crowds continued to swell, Sheikh Hasina resigned as prime minister and fled the country for India along with her younger sister Sheikh Rehana, bringing an end to the Awami League regime's uninterrupted rule since 2009.

News of her resignation triggered spontaneous celebrations across Bangladesh. Thousands of jubilant people poured onto the streets of Dhaka and other cities, while crowds entered Ganabhaban, the Prime Minister's official residence, and other government premises after security forces withdrew.

The day, however, was also marked by further bloodshed, with reports of casualties in different parts of the country as clashes and police firing continued even after Hasina's departure.

The uprising has since been widely regarded as one of the most consequential political developments in Bangladesh's history, reshaping the country's political landscape and opening a new chapter in its governance.

As the nation commemorates the beginning of July, various organisations, educational institutions and civil society groups have arranged discussions, exhibitions and memorial programmes to honour those who lost their lives during the movement.

For many Bangladeshis, the first days of July now stands as the beginning of a historic movement that transformed a student campaign for quota reform into a nationwide mass uprising that ultimately changed the course of the country's political history.

Marking the beginning of the month July uprising, Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) held a candlelight vigil titled "Aloke Aloke Smriti Somojjwal" (Memories shining in light) at the Central Shaheed Minar in the early hours today, paying rich tribute to the memories of the martyrs of July-August uprising. 

Presided over by JCD Central Committee President Rakibul Islam Rakib and moderated by General Secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir, the event was attended by hundreds of activists from Dhaka University, Jagannath University, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Jahangirnagar University, and various private university units. 

BNP Senior Joint Secretary-General and PM's Political Adviser Ruhul Kabir Rizvi addressed the program as the chief guest.

Among others, Dhaka University (DU) JCD President Ganesh Chandra Roy and JCD Central Organizing Secretary Amanullah Aman were present on the occasion.