C T Online Desk: Sarjis Alam, a key coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and chief organizer of the Jatiya Nagorik Committee, made this statement during a seminar as a special discussant.
The event was held on Saturday evening at Advocate Tarek Smriti Auditorium in Mymensingh city.
The seminar was organized to commemorate the martyrs of the 2013 Shapla Chattar incident and the 2024 uprising under the theme “Post-Revolution Aspirations and Possibilities in July.”
Sarjis Alam said: “Hasina has displaced thousands of families over the past 16 years. She did not become a killer overnight—she targeted and eliminated whoever opposed her. Whether we allow anyone else to follow in her footsteps depends on us. The consequences of Sheikh Hasina’s actions have culminated in the 2024 uprising. If anyone chooses the wrong path, their fate will be the same. We will not spare anyone, so we must stand firm and protest. This fight must be for Bangladesh and its people.”
He added: “So many lives and so much blood have been sacrificed—it cannot be compensated. When we speak with the families of the martyrs, they demand justice against killer Hasina and her accomplices. However, the justice process is severely hindered because the country is not yet free from her collaborators. Many political parties continue to support these accomplices.
“We speak of reform, but why are we silent against those who aid such forces? Without addressing this, the uprising will not achieve its goals. Syndicates and extortion are rampant in markets—why are we not speaking about those responsible? The rising cost of goods is driven by extortion in every market, and blaming the government alone won’t help,” he said.
Sarjis Alam further said: “For years, the people of this country have suffered under Sheikh Hasina’s oppressive rule. Her thirst for power even held the people of Golapganj hostage. That is why people have risked their lives to join the movement. Hasina’s killers and accomplices used to target and shoot madrasa students on sight. To evade them, students refrained from wearing traditional attire like panjabi and pajama and instead continued their protests in t-shirts.
“This violence wasn’t limited to madrasa students—it also affected school and college students. Those who couldn’t join the protests themselves supported their spouses, children, and relatives in doing so,” he added.
