Shahbagh Clears as Inquilab Moncho Demands Action From Officials

The Inquilab Moncho vacated Shahbagh on Saturday after issuing a 24-hour ultimatum to Home Affairs Advisor Lieutenant General (Retd.) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury and Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser Khoda Baksh Chowdhury. The move restored normal traffic flow in the bustling area of Dhaka.

The protest had erupted following the funeral of Shahid Sharif Osman Hadi, with demonstrators demanding justice for his killing. Tensions escalated at Shahbagh from 4 p.m. onwards on 20 December, with crowds chanting slogans in unison, including “Hadi, Hadi”, reverberating across the square.

The assembly began after Hadi’s funeral at the South Plaza of the National Parliament, effectively blocking all vehicular movement through Shahbagh for several hours. Protesters raised slogans such as:

“Nara-e-Takbir, Allahu Akbar”

“Delhi na Dhaka, Dhaka Dhaka”

“We will all be Hadi, we will speak even under bullets”

“Break the stronghold of Bakshal, crush it utterly”

“Stop your treachery, your skin will pay”

Demonstrators also offered the Asr prayer on the road, blending religious observance with their political agitation.

At approximately 5:15 p.m., the concluding statement was delivered by Abdullah Al Zaber, Secretary of the Inquilab Moncho, who outlined two main demands:

Immediate Accountability: Chowdhury and Baksh must present themselves before the public within 24 hours to report their progress over the past week. Failure to satisfy this demand would result in a call for their resignation.

Targeting Armed Elements: Identify and arrest Awami League-linked elements embedded within civil and military intelligence agencies, described as operating with impunity.

Addressing the protesters, Zaber said that the moncho would remain on alert at Shahbagh but allowed demonstrators to return home for the evening. He warned that if no government response was received by tomorrow at 5:15 p.m., the protest would resume with renewed intensity, asserting that leniency would no longer be granted.

The demonstration reflects deep public frustration over unresolved grievances and highlights the ongoing tension between civil society movements and state authorities in Bangladesh’s capital.

Key Details: