On July 25 last year, leaders of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement announced their vision to continue the protest with a set of extended demands, including justice for the killings that occurred amid a wave of mass arrests nationwide.
"The movement will not end with the publishing of the gazette notification (on the quota reform). It will continue with a series of demands," Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain made the announcement on his Facebook account, quoting Nahid Islam's statement that the movement had moved beyond just the quota reform issue.
Among the major demands were, justice for the killings and abductions of students and civilians, accountability for damage inflicted by the state, withdrawal of false cases, release of innocent detainees including former DUCSU Social Welfare Secretary Akhtar Hossain, compensation for families of those killed or injured during the protests, elimination of campus-based politics, and legal action against responsible university administrations.
Student leaders also issued an eight-point directive, including preparing a list of the deceased and injured, identifying those responsible for violence and killings, demanding the reopening of universities and dormitories, assisting injured individuals in hospitals, visiting the graves of martyrs, including Rangpur's Abu Sayeed, praying for the deceased, and expressing condolences to the bereaved families.
The announcement came as a 24-hour ultimatum, previously issued on July 23 with four core demands, drew to a close.
Additionally, students from private universities declared a peaceful campaign titled "Remove all criminals from the state system," also set for July 25 nationwide.
They announced plans to hold prayers for those martyred across the country, along with peaceful protests aimed at drawing the attention of all constitutional institutions.
Meanwhile, law enforcement agencies continued their extensive 'combing operation' to arrest individuals allegedly involved in the violence connected to the anti-discrimination movement, which began on July 1 with demands for reforming the government job quota system.
According to Bangla daily Dainik Inqilab, at least 5,000 individuals were arrested across the country between July 17 and 25.
Among them, 2,209 were arrested in the capital Dhaka, 735 in Chattogram, 153 in Narsingdi, 128 in Sylhet and 102 in Barishal.
On July 25, 451 individuals were shown arrested in 128 cases filed across the country. Particularly in Dhaka, 201 separate cases were filed with several police stations regarding vandalism, violence, and sabotage targeting government installations.
Movement coordinator Sarjis Alam alleged that the mass arrests and cases were politically motivated attempts to suppress the movement.
According to Dainik Samakal, three more injured protesters died while undergoing treatment, bringing the total death toll to 203 since July 16.
By July 25, the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) morgue had completed autopsies on 85 bodies and handed them over to the families. An additional eight unidentified bodies were transferred to the volunteer organisation Anjuman Mufidul Islam for burial after autopsy.
That same day, Amnesty International released a report accusing law enforcement of using lethal force to suppress the movement.
UN Secretary-General's spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, in a press briefing on July 25, called for a "transparent and credible" investigation into the violence that erupted in connection with the quota reform protest in Bangladesh.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir also issued a statement calling for an international investigation into the incidents and casualties during the protests.
As the overall situation appeared to improve, the ongoing curfew, now in effect for six consecutive days, was relaxed from 8am to 5pm on July 25. During this period, government and private offices were allowed to operate for four hours.
Despite signs of improvement, Dhaka remained under heavy military patrol, with law enforcement personnel on high alert throughout the capital.
Earlier that morning, former prime minister Sheikh Hasina visited the damaged Mirpur-10 Metrorail Station in Dhaka, where she urged citizens to stand against the "anarchists" who had caused widespread unrest since July 17.
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