The curtain draws on yet another Gregorian calendar year-2024 at the midnight today (Tuesday). That the year has been an eventful one for Bangladesh and its people would not be enough to highlight its significance and importance. Truth is 2024 will be regarded as the second most important year, 1971 being the most important one, in the history of this part of the world.
The country was freed from the clutches of a brutal dictatorship in the world on August 5 thanks to the indomitable struggle of the students and the masses and supreme sacrifices of over a thousand of them
Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus
takes over as Chief Adviser
Bangladesh fell into a constitutional crisis after Hasina fled the country and three days later, Nobel laureate and world-renowned personality Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus took over the responsibility of the interim government as the chief adviser. A council of advisers was formed under his leadership.
198 world leaders’ support
for Dr. Yunus
The people of Bangladesh and their chief adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus have been strongly supported by 198 world leaders. Among them are former US President Barack Obama and at least 92 Nobel laureates.
On September 4, a report by the influential US media outlet Washington Post published a statement signed by the 198 world leaders.
The year 2024 is an eventful one in the history of Bangladesh. This year has taken its place in history as the year of the July mass uprising and the fall of the dictatorship. This was the final phase of the overthrow of the 15-year dictatorship. The students' anti-discrimination movement gradually turned into a one-point movement to overthrow the dictator Sheikh Hasina.
On June 5, 2024, the quota reform movement started anew after the High Court Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh declared the circular issued by the Bangladesh government on October 4, 2018, illegal.
This movement began to intensify from mid-July. After Rangpur Begum Rokeya University student Abu Sayeed was shot dead by police firing on July 16, sparked a nationwide movement including all public and private universities and colleges.
JANUARY 7 ONE-SIDED ELECTION
The 12th National Parliament election was held unilaterally without an opposition party on January 7 through the Election Commission under the autocracy of Sheikh Hasina.
Before this, the 10th National Parliament election on January 5, 2014, the 11th National Parliament election on December 30, 2018, and the latest 12th General Election on January 7, 2024 were a betrayal of the country and the nation. The fake election of the 12th National Parliament in 2024 created the backdrop for the fall of Sheikh Hasina. The people of the country became disappointed and angry. People's unity was formed against the Hasina government.
TEXTBOOK CONTROVERSY
On January 19, at the Institution of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh in Kakrail in the capital, Asif Mahtab Utsho, a part-time teacher at BRAC University, tore a page from a national curriculum textbook and came into discussion. The issue was widely discussed on social media.
Later, Asif Mahtab was dismissed from BRAC University.
In that seminar, he alleged, "Students are being brainwashed by discussing transgender in the seventh grade history and social science books." At that time, he tore the page of Sharifa's story in the chapter 'Similarities and Differences in People' of the seventh grade book.
On September 28, the coordination committee formed to revise the textbooks prepared and printed by the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) in Bangladesh was dissolved 13 days after its formation.
After this, there was widespread discussion and criticism on social media. However, after the dissolution of the committee, no reason was mentioned or explained by the NCTB or the Ministry of Education.
BAILEY ROAD blaze
The worst fire of this year occurred on February 29. A total of 46 people died in a fire in a multi-storey building called Green Cozy on Bailey Road in Dhaka city. The building housed several restaurants and shops, including Kacchi Bhai Restaurant, Samsung Showroom, Gadget and Gear, Illini, Khana's and Pizza Inn. As there were restaurants on every floor of the entire building, gas cylinders were stored in the building, which caused the fire to spread quickly.
JULY-AUGUST UPRISING
Abu Sayeed was an activist in the quota reform movement in Bangladesh in 2024. Abu Sayeed joined this movement as the coordinator of Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur. He played a leading role in the quota movement in Rangpur university and the Rangpur region. Abu Sayeed was martyred in police firing on July 16 in this movement. Soon after, a massive movement spread across the country.
On July 20, 2024, the Sheikh Hasina government deployed the army and imposed a curfew across the country.
In light of the verdict of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, the government issued a notification on the abolition of quota on the night of July 22 to control the situation.
On July 27, 'block raids' were started by dividing the area. More than 6,000 people were arrested across the country. More than 550 cases were filed.
The entire country came to a standstill in the movement after announcement of one-point demand of resignation of the government on August 3.
At the orders of Sheikh Hasina, hundreds of people were killed by police and various law enforcement agencies and thousands of protesters were injured. Sniper rifles and helicopters were used to suppress the movement.
On August 4, a large number of students and people were killed and thousands were injured in police attacks at various points in Dhaka during the anti-discrimination movement rally. On that day, a blockade programme called 'March to Dhaka' was announced for the next day August 5.
On August 5, millions of people took to the streets of Dhaka. All the streets were blocked in processions towards Ganabhaban, the official residence of dictator Hasina. Amid the massive mass-uprising, dictator Sheikh Hasina fled the country in fear of her life.
FLOODS IN MID-AUGUST
Immediately after the interim government assumed office, a flash flood struck the eastern region of the country in late August. Twelve districts, including Feni, were submerged in the flood. The flood caused huge damage to property and loss of lives. The government took concerted steps to deal with this flood. People from all over the country, including the student movement, stood by the flood victims.
NAHID ISLAM IN TIME MAGAZINE'S
100 MOST INFLUENTIAL LIST
Nahid Islam, one of the coordinators of the anti-discrimination student movement in Bangladesh and information and broadcasting adviser, has been included in Time Magazine's 'Time 100 Next' 2024 list.
This famous magazine publishes a list of the 100 most influential people in the world every year.
The list was published on October 2. Nahid Islam is in the Emerging Leaders category.
FIRE AT SECRETARIAT
The fire of this year occurred at the highly secured Secretariat complex on December 26. Documents of at least five ministries and divisions have been burned as fires ravaged part of Building-7 of the Secretariat for almost 10 hours.
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