Timeline

April 8

Protesters blocked Shahbagh intersection around 2:30pm. Dhaka-Aricha, Chittagong-Rangamati, Dhaka-Mymensingh, and Dhaka-Rajshahi highways were also blocked to press home their five-point demand.

Demonstrators refused to clear Shahbagh intersection and police charged truncheons, fired teargas shells, and rubber bullets. The clash between police and protestors went on for five and a half hours, starting from 8:00pm.

April 9

Half the protestors went towards TSC, while some stayed near the Faculty of Fine Arts. Police lobbed teargas canisters at protestors in Shahbagh area, while the Dhaka University VC's house was vandalised by hundreds of people around 1:30am.

Awami League lawmaker Jahangir Kabir Nanak reached Shahbagh at around 1:45am and said AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader was to sit with the protesters.

Around 3:00pm, a 20-member delegation led by Hasan Al Mamun, convener of Bangladesh Sadharan Chhatra Adhikar Sangrakkhan Parishad, the platform spearheading the quota reform movement, went to the secretariat.

After a meeting, Quader said the agitators agreed to suspend their movement until May 7.

Following that, at around 8:00pm Mamun postponed the demonstrations until May 7. But a newly formed committee of the protestors declared that the demonstration would continue at all universities and colleges.

April 10

In the morning, the platform asked all to refrain from agitation, while the newly formed committee continued the demonstration.

In the afternoon, the two groups reunited and declared nationwide road blockade and boycott of classes at colleges and universities.

April 11

Students alleged that three protestors were being tortured at Sufia Kamal Hall by Chhatra League hall unit president Iffat Jahan Isha around 12:30am.

The news of torture spread on social media, including a rumour that Iffat had    cut the tendons of a student named Morsheda.

Chhatra League expelled Iffat while DU suspended Iffat.

In the morning, agitators started their protest for the fourth consecutive day.

In the afternoon, the prime minister in parliament spoke of scrapping the quota system and asked students to return to classes.

After the PM's announcement, protestors took time to ponder, while BCL brought out a victory procession congratulating the prime minister.

April 12

Protestors called off their demonstrations and brought out a victory procession.

April 22

The parliamentary body on the public administration ministry suggested that the quota system in government jobs should not be abolished completely.

April 26

The quota reformists threatened to launch fresh demonstrations in May for the gazette notification.

April 27

AL Joint General Secretary Jahangir Kabir Nanak met the quota reform movement leaders and assured them that the government would publish the gazette notification once the prime minister, who was in Australia at the time, returned. Following the assurance, the protestors postponed their agitation until May 7.

May 8

Quota protestors called for a fresh programme.

May 10

The platform declared to stage a countrywide protest.

May 13

Protestors started boycotting classes and examinations and declared an indefinite strike at all colleges and universities across the country.

May 14

Protestors blocked Shahbagh intersection again.

May 19

They withdrew examination boycott, but continued boycotting classes.

June 26

The PM in parliament said she had formed a committee through the cabinet secretary (on reforming quota system). She also suggested continuation of the existing freedom fighter quota in civil service.

June 30

Seven quota reformists were injured in a BCL attack at DU, while they were about to hold a press conference to brief journalists on their next course of actions.

July 1

BCL men swooped on students protesting the attack at Rajshahi University and Shahbagh in the capital, leaving 14 injured.