The huge crowd that gathered at the Bijoy Sarani intersection to celebrate the ousting of Sheikh Hasina on this day last year. Photo: File
August 5 became a watershed in Bangladesh's history -- the climactic peak of the July uprising.
After weeks of bloodshed, defiance, and unyielding protest, the people's movement surged past its tipping point, toppling the 15-year-long authoritarian rule of Sheikh Hasina. What began as a student-led protest over civil service quotas had, within a month, transformed into a nationwide revolution for dignity, justice, and democracy.
That morning, defying curfew and amid a steady drizzle, hundreds of thousands of people began marching towards Dhaka. Their chants echoed through alleyways and highways as waves of protesters poured into the capital from every direction. Streets that had seen teargas shells, bullets, and grief in the preceding weeks now pulsed with hope and resistance. Despite brutal crackdowns, the spirit of the masses remained unbroken.
Around noon, unconfirmed reports spread like wildfire: prime minister Sheikh Hasina had resigned and fled the country. Then came the official confirmation. Army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman addressed the nation and declared that an interim government would soon be formed.
In his televised address, the army chief urged all, including students, to refrain from violence and cooperate with the armed forces. He assured that all demands would be met and that justice would be ensured. "Together," he said, "we will move towards a beautiful future."
Hasina, along with her younger sister Sheikh Rehana, had departed on a military helicopter to Agartala, India, later flown to the Hindon Air Force Base near New Delhi. Indian media outlets reported her meeting with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, and her son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, told the BBC that she would not return to politics.
As news of Hasina's departure spread, jubilation erupted across the country. Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue, Shahbagh, Mirpur Road, and Motijheel and other thoroughfares were soon flooded with people. Flags waved, slogans rang out, strangers embraced one another. The Gono Bhaban, once the fortress of executive power, was overrun by ordinary citizens -- men, women, and children -- who surged through its gates, celebrated on its lawns, and symbolically reclaimed it in the name of the people. Inside, some offered prayers, others raised slogans; some took selfies while lying on the prime minister's bed.
But even in celebration, violence lingered on the fringes. Law enforcement agencies, disoriented and retreating, clashed with demonstrators in various parts of the capital. At least 66 people were killed in Dhaka alone that day. Police stations, AL offices, and government buildings were attacked and set ablaze in districts such as Chattogram and Sylhet. Protesters, angered by years of suppression, unleashed their fury on institutions they held responsible for injustice.
In Chattogram, mobs stormed the Metropolitan Police Headquarters and Dampara Police Lines. In Sylhet, the District Police Office, police outposts, and the homes of AL leaders were vandalised and torched. Similar scenes played out in Jashore, Savar, and Dhamrai, where dozens more were killed or injured in clashes. Hospitals overflowed with the wounded. Morgues struggled to accommodate the deaths.
By evening, President Mohammed Shahabuddin held an emergency meeting with the military chiefs, opposition leaders, and civil society members at the Bangabhaban. The meeting decided to dissolve parliament, release all political prisoners, and form an interim government. It also approved the immediate release of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.
The student leaders who had sparked the revolution were not present at the official meetings but remained resolute. At a press conference held that evening, coordinators Nahid Islam and Asif Mahmud declared that the power must be handed over to a national interim government proposed by the students and citizens. "No other government will be accepted," they stated. "A new political settlement must emerge from the people's victory."
They vowed to publish the outline of the interim government within 24 hours, following consultation with civil society, coordination committees, and political groups. "This victory belongs to the martyred students," Nahid said. "And we will honour their sacrifice with a government that reflects the will of the people."
The United States commended the Bangladesh Army for its restraint and urged that the formation of the interim government be democratic and inclusive. The White House and the State Department both issued statements encouraging all parties to refrain from violence and to restore peace. US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called for swift democratic elections under a balanced interim arrangement.
As fires smouldered across police headquarters, the Gono Bhaban filled with barefoot children and laughing elders. The streets trembled under the footsteps of a free people -- one thing became clear: the July uprising had not only dethroned a regime; it had reawakened the nation's democratic spirit.
August 5 was not merely the end of Sheikh Hasina's rule. It was the beginning of something new -- a moment when ordinary people, led by students, reclaimed their voice and their future. The day will be remembered for the unity of the oppressed and toppling of the seemingly untouchable.
From Jatrabari to Shahbagh, from Chattogram to Sylhet, the message rang loud and clear: Bangladesh belongs to its people. August 5 proved that no ruler is mightier than a people united, and no regime can outlast the will for justice.
