Local Government Advisor Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan has declared the day as the 'First Resistance Day of the July Movement' in recognition of the special contribution of Comilla University students to the quota reform movement on July 11, 2024.
He made the announcement on Friday while addressing a memorial meeting organized at Cumilla University marking the anniversary of the police attack last year.
Advisor Asif said the first blood of the 2024 mass uprising was shed at Cumilla University on July 11, when police of then fascist regime launched a brutal and unprovoked attack on the students of the university.
"The students after that organized a fierce resistance and blockaded the Dhaka-Chattogram highway until 11 pm that night. It played a significant role in fuelling the nationwide movement that followed,” he said.
He further said that, like in July, he hopes the students of Cumilla University will always stand for truth and justice. In response to the students' demands, he also announced the donation of three buses for the university.
During the 2024 mass uprising, the first police assault on protesters during the “Bangla Blockade” programme took place at Cumilla University on July 11. Around 20 students were injured as police opened fire, lobbed tear gas shells, and carried out baton charges on the demonstrators, he added.
News of the police attack spread rapidly, igniting anger among the students. The incident triggered a wave of protests across the country, including in Dhaka, where demonstrators condemned the police brutality.
In response, general students from all residential halls of Cumilla University took to the streets and blockaded the Dhaka–Chattogram Highway.
The students effectively brought the highway to a standstill for nearly eight hours, in a significant display of resistance.
The event was presided over by the university’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof Dr Haidar Ali, while Pro-Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Masuda Kamal attended it as a special guest.
Other distinguished guests included Treasurer Professor Dr Mohammad Solaiman, Proctor Professor Dr Abdul Hakim, Cumilla Deputy Commissioner Amirul Kaisar, and Superintendent of Police Najir Ahmed Khan.
MSH
