The March for Unity programme ended at the Central Shaheed Minar today (31 December), around four hours after it had began, seeing a participation of thousands of people.

As stated, the the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and National Citizen's Committee leaders did not declare a proclamation. At the event, student leaders demanded that the interim government announce the July Proclamation by 15 January.

They also said the next elected government would write the new Constitution.

"There will be a Constituent Assembly. They will draft the charter and give the final approval."

Students began gathering at the Central Shaheed Minar in the morning in response to the mass gathering announcement made in the early hours today.

At 4pm, a minute of silence was observed in memory of those killed in the July mass uprising. Later, the student organisation started a rally following an address by Md Abul Asad, father of a martyr.

Speaking at the event, Akhtar Hossain, member secretary of the National Citizens' Committee, said, "There will be a Constituent Assembly [Gono Parishad]. They will draft the charter and give the final approval."

However, The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, which led to the fall of the Awami League government amid a mass uprising, has warned that no general election will be held in the country until the party is brought to book.

“There will be no election before the trial of the Awami League. There was no justice for those killed and injured in the July movement,” Anti-Discrimination Student Movement spokesperson Umama Fatema said at the programme on Tuesday.

Welcoming the government’s ‘delayed’ initiative to declare the ‘July Proclamation’, Umama said they do not want to waste time further over the issue.

“July has not gone. We still have the spirit in us. We will not let 2024 fail like 1971 and 1990,” she added.

In her speech, Jatiya Nagorik Committee spokesperson Samanta Sharmin urged the government to declare the ‘July Proclamation’ by 15 January.

“If the July Proclamation is not announced by 15 January, the students will be forced to take to the streets again. I request the students and people not to leave the streets without ensuring justice and reforms,” she said.

Hundreds of members of different units of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and the Jatiya Nagorik Committee gathered at the Shaheed Minar to make a success of the ‘March for Unity’ programme.

They chanted various slogans like “power or people; people, people”, “we want Sheikh Hasina to be hanged”, “Delhi or Dhaka; Dhaka, Dhaka”.

'What is home affairs adviser doing?'

At the event, Anti-Discrimination Student Movement Coordinator Mahin Sarkar asked what Home Affairs Adviser Lieutenant General (Retd) Mohammad Jahangir was doing as July murderers were yet to be tried and prices of goods had shown no signs of decreasing.

"We did not come here with any specific demand. Despite having clear footage and evidence, why are the murder police and administrators not being tried?"

He asked why the prices had not decreased yet, adding there were attacks on students in different places, but no police action had been taken.

"I want to know what the home affairs adviser is doing [about these things]," he said.

National Citizens' Committee Chief Organiser Sarjis Alam said, "Murderers and terrorists are roaming around. We want to call on the interim interim government to ensure justice for the genocide."

He added, "We want freedom from syndicates. We want the return of the smuggled money, we want the prices of goods within reach. We also want proper treatment for the injured."

Rifat Rashid, another coordinator, said a mass uprising had taken place, but Sheikh Hasina and her accomplices are yet to be tried.

"The fugitive murderer Hasina in India must be brought home and justice must be ensured. The students will not leave the streets until they build a new Bangladesh together," he said.