A group of people identifying themselves as “July Warriors” engaged in a fierce standoff with police outside the South Plaza of the National Parliament in Dhaka on Friday, demanding official recognition and rehabilitation for their role in the July uprising.
The unrest began shortly after noon when protesters attempted to break through police barricades near Manik Mia Avenue. Security forces responded with baton charges and sound grenades to disperse the crowd. In retaliation, demonstrators hurled stones and bricks at police.
Several individuals were injured during the hour-long confrontation, which saw protesters setting fire to tents and equipment prepared for the scheduled certificate signing ceremony. The protesters vandalised several vehicles outside the Parliament building, including a police bus.
The July Warriors are demanding state recognition of their contributions to the July mass uprising, legal protection, and promises of rehabilitation. Though the main event was set to begin in the afternoon, demonstrators began assembling in the area from early morning.
At one point, some protesters managed to breach security lines and approach the main stage, chanting slogans and broadcasting their demands through loudspeakers. Despite repeated requests from organizers to disperse, they refused to leave.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Sheikh Md Sajjat Ali had earlier urged the protesters to leave voluntarily, warning of forceful action if they did not comply.
By around 2pm, police cleared the area in front of Parliament and set up barricades on both sides of Manik Mia Avenue. However, protesters continued to demonstrate on either side of the blockade. In the nearby Khamarbari area, protesters blocked roads and lit fires, but were eventually dispersed by police around 2:15pm.
Later, a group of demonstrators attempted to regroup at Dhanmondi 27, but police once again used sound grenades and force to break up the gathering. Some protesters then moved to the Sobhanbagh Mosque area, where they resumed throwing stones at police.
As tensions escalated, questions began to emerge over whether the July Certificate Signing Ceremony would proceed as planned. There is growing public uncertainty about whether key guests, including the Chief Advisor, will attend the event at South Plaza.
As of now, the government has not made any official statement on the matter. Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Tejgaon Division), Fazlul Karim, stated, “The protesters had said they will not leave until their demands are met.”
Army has been deployed in the area to avert any further untoward incident.
Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus is scheduled to attend the signing ceremony at 4pm. But uncertainty has already surfaced over the participation of all parties in the programme.
