Staff Correspondnet

People from various religious groups, Anti-discrimination Student Movement coordinators, and political parties jointly held a “Sampriti Samabesh” in Dhaka’s Shahbagh.

The gathering, held in memory of martyr Fayyaz, began with the national anthem, followed by a minute of silence. Participants later marched towards Rapa Plaza in Dhanmondi.

Tahmid Alam, a coordinator of the recent movement, delivered the welcoming speech, emphasising a unified Bangladeshi identity. "We are Bangladeshi; it is our main identity. We must fight together against forces trying to create unrest by inciting communal sentiments," he declared.

Mahadi Al Mahmud, one of the event's organisers, led the attendees in taking an oath to build a harmonious Bangladesh for all its citizens, regardless of caste, class, or religion.

The rally saw participation from teachers and students of various educational institutions, including madrasas. Santosh Sharma, the editor of daily Kalbela, emphasised the need for equal rights, stating, "We do not want special rights for the minority community; we want equal rights like every citizen. We have not received justice for the attacks on our people in the past 52 years."

Sharma referenced a recent visit by Chief Advisor of the interim government, Prof. Muhammad Yunus, to the Dhakeswari Temple, where he affirmed that all citizens, regardless of religion, are members of the same family. "We know who carried out attacks on us in previous years and who protected us. Their political identity does not matter; they must be treated as culprits," he added.

Nurul Islam Saddam, another speaker, warned against the resurgence of dictatorship in Bangladesh, asserting that students and freedom-loving people would resist such forces. "We want to build a country based on human values, where there is no discrimination between Hindus and Muslims," he stated.

Sarjis Alam, one of the main coordinators of the student movement, highlighted the long history of resistance against various forms of coups and unrest. "The fascists trying to create unrest will find no one attending their janaza (funeral) if they are caught red-handed," he warned.

The event concluded with a march towards Rapa Plaza, where participants observed “Resistance Week” and paid tribute to the martyrs, including Fayyaz, a student killed during a clash with police and Awami League supporters on July 18.