Photo: Collected
Students have been gathering at Central Shaheed Minar at Dhaka University for a 'March for Unity' since this morning (31 December) in response to the mass gathering announcement made in the early hours today.
Groups of students arrived in processions from different parts of the country, carrying the national flag, and upon reaching Shaheed Minar, some began chanting slogans, reports local media.
The programme is set to begin at 3pm and the construction of the stage is currently underway. The call to gather was made earlier at 1:45am by the student leaders.
The gathering follows an earlier announcement by the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and the National Citizens' Committee to host a programme titled "Proclamation of the July Revolution" at the Shaheed Minar today.
However, the proclamation programme was postponed after the interim government announced its initiative last night (30 December) to prepare a proclamation for the July mass uprising. The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement later pressed forward with its plans for the 'March for Unity.'
Speaking at the event during the early hours today, the platform's Chief Organiser Hannan Masud said, "We revolutionaries will gather at the central Shaheed Minar as per our previous announcement. The [proclamation] declaration will come from the government, but that will not stop us from gathering."
Following the government's announcement, the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and the National Citizens' Committee held separate meetings at their offices in the capital's Banglamotor last night to make decisions on the matter.
Several leaders of the National Citizens' Committee told TBS that during their meeting, it was decided to suspend the programme at Shaheed Minar. Subsequently, a delegation of the Committee met with the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement to explain the situation.
Messenger/Tareq
