July Revolution (Bangladesh)

The July Revolution, also called the Student–People's Uprising, was a big protest for democracy in Bangladesh in 2024. It began in June when students, led by a group called Students Against Discrimination, protested against unfair job quotas in government jobs. This happened after the Supreme Court of Bangladesh canceled the old rules from 2018. At first, the protests were peaceful, but in late July, the government used force against the protesters, killing many of them. This tragic event is known as the July Massacre.

By August, the protests grew into a huge movement where people stopped cooperating with the government. This forced the Prime Minister at the time, Sheikh Hasina, to flee the country and escape to India. When she left, it caused a big problem with the country’s leadership. Eventually, an interim (temporary) government was set up, led by Muhammad Yunus, an economist from Bangladesh who won a Nobel Peace Prize. He became the main adviser to help run things.

 Background 
After the Awami League won the 2008 elections, they removed the caretaker government system. They then won three more elections in a row (2014, 2018, and 2024). However, these elections were widely accused of being rigged. Most political parties in Bangladesh boycotted the 2014 and 2024 elections, though not the 2018 one. During this period, the government reportedly arrested and tortured opponents, pushing opposition leaders out of politics by convicting them in different cases. The government also tightly controlled media and free speech, using laws like the Digital Security Act.  

Since 2009, Sheikh Hasina's Awami League has struggled to create jobs as promised. Although public sector jobs grew with better salaries, these positions were often given based on political connections.  

Reports say the government used police and Awami League supporters—including its student wing, the Chhatra League—to violently suppress protests, even non-political ones. The Chhatra League has been accused of violent crackdowns at universities and other institutions. Over these years, Awami League leaders faced accusations of corruption, money laundering, banking fraud, and mishandling financial reserves. These problems contributed to higher living costs and public anger.

 History 
 Quota reform movement 

In 2018, students in Bangladesh started a big protest called the "2018 Bangladesh quota reform movement." It was led by the General Students' Rights Protection Council. They wanted changes to the quota system for government jobs. Because of their protests, the government decided to end the 46-year-old quota system.

But in 2021, seven children of freedom fighters, including Ahidul Islam, went to the High Court to challenge this decision. On June 5, 2024, the High Court, with Justices KM Kamrul Quader and Khizir Hayat, said the decision to remove the quota system wasn’t valid. Right after this ruling, students began protesting at different universities.

The protests grew stronger in July. Students blocked roads, including something called the "Bangla Blockade." The police used a lot of force to stop them, which led to fights. In Rangpur, a student named Abu Sayed was shot and killed by police. This made the movement even bigger and caused more tension across Bangladesh.

After that, the protests turned violent in many places, including Dhaka. Law enforcement, along with groups like Chhatra League and Jubo League, attacked protesters, causing many deaths and injuries. The government then put a curfew in place and shut down the internet. Because of all the unrest, the Appellate Division moved up its hearing date.

On July 16, students from private universities joined the protests, making the movement even stronger. The government then closed all schools and universities on July 16, 2024. The next day, July 17, students living in public university dorms, like at Dhaka University, had to leave. But many private university students stayed in Dhaka because they live there permanently, and their numbers grew in the city by July 18.

On July 18, there was a big clash in Rampura between police and students from Primeasia University, BRAC University, and East West University. At the same time, students from AIUB, North South University, Independent University, Dhaka International University, and UIU protested along Kuril Bishwa Road and Pragati Sarani. Protests also happened in Mohakhali with students from Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology, Bangladesh University of Textiles, and Southeast University, as well as in Uttara with Northern University students.
 Razakar slogans 

On 14 July, at a press conference, Sheikh Hasina answered a question about ongoing protests by saying:  


After her comment, students began chanting slogans like:  



Protesters said Hasina’s words unfairly called them "Razakars" (a term linked to traitors during Bangladesh’s independence war) and mocked their fight for quota reforms. Many saw the slogan as a way to push back against her criticism.

 Internet outage 
To stop the movement from spreading across the country, the government ordered a shutdown of the internet. The internet was turned off nationwide starting on July 18 and continued until July 19.

 Judgement of the Appellate Division on the case  
On July 4, the Appellate Division rejected the government’s move to cancel the freedom fighter quota system for top-level government jobs without even hearing the state’s request to pause the High Court’s earlier decision. The court temporarily upheld the High Court’s ruling and asked the state to formally submit a “leave to appeal” (request to challenge the decision). During the hearing, then-Chief Justice Obaidul Hasan remarked, “Protests are happening, so what? Should court rulings be changed because people protest on the streets?”

Later, on July 10, the Appellate Division ordered a four-week temporary hold on the High Court’s verdict after reviewing petitions from the state and two students. The next hearing was scheduled for August 7.

After the full High Court judgment was released on July 14, the state and two students formally filed to appeal the decision. On July 18, the Supreme Court’s Chamber Court, led by Justice M Inayetur Rahim, set July 21 as the hearing date following a request by Attorney General AM Amin Uddin.

On July 21, the Appellate Division reinstated the quota system and overturned the High Court’s ruling. However, citing constitutional principles of fairness, the court ordered that 93% of future government jobs be filled based on merit. This hearing marked the first time in Bangladesh’s history that Supreme Court proceedings were held under curfew restrictions.

 Massacre 

By early August 2024, the protests had caused many deaths. The government first said 215 people died, but a UN report later found at least 650 were killed. In August, the interim government’s health advisor, Nurjahan Begum, said over 1,000 people died, 400 students lost their eyesight, 20,000 were injured, and 11,000 arrested. At least 32 children were among the dead, per UNICEF. The true number is unclear because the government limited information—hospitals couldn’t share data, CCTV footage was seized, and some victims were buried unnamed. By September, deaths passed 1,000.  

The violence, called the July Massacre, led to widespread anger. University teachers protested at University of Dhaka, condemning the killings.  

Ousted leader Sheikh Hasina, speaking through her son Sajeeb Wazed, called for an investigation but claimed police and her party were attacked by "terrorists."

 Non-cooperation movement 
On August 4, thousands of protesters gathered at Shahbagh intersection in the morning. They blocked the area as a way to protest and demand the government's resignation.

After the Non-cooperation Movement began, different left-wing groups in Bangladesh joined the protests. The Proletarian Party of East Bengal, for example, started painting graffiti across the city after Hasina and the Awami League fell. Their messages criticized the military and called for an end to military rule. Other far-left student groups also took part, including the Revolutionary Student-Youth Movement, a Marxist-Leninist-Maoist group.

At least 97 people died across the country in clashes, shootings, and chases linked to the Non-cooperation Movement. Fourteen police officers were also killed, 13 of them at the Enayetpur police station in Sirajganj and one in Eliotganj, Comilla. Protesters attacked and damaged 27 police stations, injuring more than 100 policemen, according to a statement from the Bangladesh Police.

In Dhaka, unknown individuals set fire to cars, ambulances, motorcycles, and buses at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University. Around 4:30 p.m., an eleventh-grade student named Golam Nafiz was shot by the police in the Farmgate area. A picture of him being taken to the hospital in a rickshaw went viral online, sparking outrage. By noon, people across the country reported losing internet access. The government also blocked Facebook, Messenger, WhatsApp, Instagram, and all other Meta-owned platforms, ordering internet providers to comply after 1 p.m.

The government announced a three-day general holiday starting August 5, during which banks would also be closed. The Students Against Discrimination announced they would march to Dhaka on August 6 to demand the Prime Minister's resignation.

 Resignation of Sheikh Hasina 
Hasina stepped down on 5 August 2024 as huge crowds of protesters gathered around the prime minister's residence.Mujib Mashal, Shayeza Walid and Saif Hasnat, Bangladesh's Leader Fled Just Ahead of an Angry Crowd, Urged by Family to Go , New York Times (August 6, 2024). The army chief, General Waker-uz-Zaman, announced her resignation. She then fled to India in a chaotic escape—first by car, then helicopter, and finally by plane, leaving without a farewell speech.

Reports say she flew on a Bangladesh Air Force C-130 military plane to India’s Hindon Air Force base, where Indian officials greeted her. India’s foreign minister stated she asked to stay in India "at very short notice." Her son, Sajeeb Wazed, initially claimed she’d quit politics but later said she’d stay involved. He later argued she never officially resigned due to the chaos.  

Hasina reportedly sought asylum in the UK but was rejected. Other options included the UAE, Saudi Arabia, or Finland. By August 2024, she was in a hidden location in India.  

Wazed accused foreign spies of backing the protests. Hasina blamed the U.S. for her removal, but her son called the claims "fake." The U.S. denied involvement.  

On 13 August, Hasina called for an investigation into protest-related deaths, claiming her party and police were also victims.

 Fall of the government 
On August 4th, thousands of protesters gathered at Dhaka’s Shahbag intersection in the morning. They blocked the area as a form of protest, demanding the government’s resignation. This led to hundreds of injuries and deaths. The next day, protesters announced a “Long March to Dhaka” despite a nationwide curfew, pushing for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to step down.

A massive march of people to Ganabhaban (the Prime Minister's residence) forced Hasina to resign. On August 5th, she and her sister Sheikh Rehana fled to India with military assistance.

After the Awami League government was removed, the Revolutionary Workers Party of Bangladesh organized student meetings with the interim government to discuss policies, including talks with parties like the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. Meanwhile, the Left Democratic Alliance held a conference on August 11th, demanding reforms to the Election Commission to ensure fair parliamentary elections. They called for changes to the electoral system, including a “no” vote option, recalling underperforming leaders, and adopting proportional representation. The interim government also held talks with political parties like the BNP, Jamaat, and others on October 5th to address the crisis.

 Citation 
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 References 

Category:Rebellions in Asia
Category:Bangladesh
Category:Generation Z