On August 5, 2024, the streets of Bangladesh bore witness to a turning point etched in courage, pain, and defiance.
After a month and a half of protests, sacrifice, and relentless demands for change, the people's uprising reached a crescendo, ushering in the end of Sheikh Hasina's rule.
The following photos capture that day not as a singular event, but as a tapestry of faces, movements, and moments: the silence before the storm, the fury of resistance, the grief of loss, and the breath of liberation. Through these images, we remember not just what fell – but the hope that rose in its place.
By August 5, the students had made their demands clear. There was only one thing they wanted, the resignation of the prime minister. Photo: Md Istiak
People gather at the Elephant Road intersection. Photo: Alat Ehasan
Rickshaw-pullers park their vehicles and read the daily newspaper plastered on the walls, hoping to get some good news. Photo: Alat Ehasan
A crowd gathers to catch a glimpse of the news. Photo: Alat Ehasan
The golden statue of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman that towered over Bijoy Sarani was still upright in late July. It would be left shattered on the floor days later. Photo: Alat Ehasan
The golden statue of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is toppled and set ablaze on August 5. Photo: Alat Ehasan
A procession makes its way through Shahbagh. Photo: Sayeb Nahin
An Awami League office in Tejgaon was untouched in the morning, but that would not be the case merely half an hour later. Photo: Alat Ehasan
Walking past the same office just half an hour later, the scene changed dramatically. It had already been set ablaze. Photo: Alat Ehasan
Destruction of property was also a theme of the day, with many cars and microbuses, alleged to belong to AL loyalists, being torched. Photos: Sayeb Nahin, Alat Ehasan
A man makes off with a fish that he claimed from Gono Bhaban, the prime minister's official residence.
Stores specializing in sweets had one of the busiest days in recent memory, with most stores selling out once news broke of Hasina's departure. Photo: Sayeb Nahin
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