DU students sing national anthem in protest over Shahbagh incident

A group of students from Dhaka University (DU) staged a protest this evening by singing the national anthem in unison at the base of the Raju Memorial Sculpture, condemning an alleged act of disrespect toward the anthem during a recent demonstration at Shahbagh.

The protest took place around 7:15pm in response to several videos circulating on social media since May 10. The footage reportedly showed individuals being prevented from singing the national anthem during a blockade at Shahbagh, which was organised to demand a ban on the Awami League, among other issues.

Leaders and activists of the DU unit of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), the student wing of the BNP, were seen participating in the event. The event also drew the presence of student leaders from several left-leaning and progressive student bodies, including Biplobi Chhatra Moitri, Bangladesh Chhatra Union, Chhatra Federation, and Bangladesh Gonotantrik Chhatra Sangsad.

Abdul Kader, convener of Bangladesh Gonotantrik Chhatrasangsad at DU, told The Daily Star, "Obstruction was created over the singing of the national anthem during the Shahbagh blockade program. In response, we have taken the initiative to sing the national anthem together in unison."

BM Kawsar, joint secretary of the JCD at DU, told The Daily Star that a group of people in Shahbagh attempted to humiliate the national anthem in various ways.

"In protest of that, we the students of Dhaka University, from several organisations and student platforms, sang the song in unison today. We are all Bangladeshis regardless of our different political or ideological beliefs. When it comes to our nation, we stand together," he said.

Earlier in the evening, students gathered at the Raju Memorial and chanted slogans such as: "Salute to the martyrs of '71," "Salute to the martyrs of '24," "No place for war criminals in the Bangladesh of '71," "Who are you, who am I? We are Bangladeshis," "No place for war criminals in my Golden Bengal," and "Beware, agents of Pakistan."