Mother Fatima joins protests at Shaheed Minar with her child

Fatima, a housewife from Jatrabari, joined the sea of people at the Central Shaheed Minar, bringing along her child.

She said, "I, as a parent, feel compelled to stand by these students who are fighting for their rights."

"Look at Shaheed Minar, it's filled with countless people. Not just students, but thousands of parents have come with their children."

Expressed her strong desire to be part of the nationwide uprising aimed at removing Sheikh Hasina from power, she said, "The horrific attacks on students, as seen on social media, have kept us awake at night," she added.

Fatima also expressed her deep sorrow over the loss of countless students across the nation and her unwavering support for the ongoing student movement.

On Saturday afternoon, over a million students, parents, and citizens gathered at the central Shaheed Minar.

Numerous parents, like Fatima, attended the gathering with their children. Over a dozen such parents shared their reasons for participating.

One parent from the crowd said, "We don't want our children to grow up asking why we didn't participate in the mass uprising of 2024. We've brought them here to witness this historic moment."

Many parents carried placards with messages such as "Why must we sacrifice our lives for rights in an independent country?...Sheikh Hasina, step down."

At 3pm today, students and citizens gathered at the Central Shaheed Minar protesting against the crackdown on peaceful protests.

Protesters concluded today's programme at 6pm where they declared their one-point demand calling for the resignation of the current government. 

At the same time, they also demanded the formation of a new national government.