On August 5, a dramatic political upheaval gripped Bangladesh as a student-led uprising under the banner of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement reached its climax. Named the “March to Dhaka,” the campaign urged citizens nationwide to converge on the capital to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the end of what protestors described as a fascist regime. That day marked the second day of a non-cooperation movement and the culmination of weeks of resistance.
From the early hours of the day, massive clashes between protestors and law enforcement erupted across Dhaka and surrounding areas. Despite resistance, waves of demonstrators—comprising students and general citizens—poured into the city from Uttara, Jatrabari, Old Dhaka, Shahbagh, and beyond. Security forces tried to halt their progress, but eventually even military personnel were seen removing barricades, signaling a loss of government control.
The destination of the protestors was clear: the Ganabhaban (Prime Minister’s residence), the Prime Minister’s Office, and the National Parliament. By midday, crowds stormed into these high-security areas. Just hours earlier, at 2:30 p.m., Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reportedly fled to India via military helicopter, accompanied by her sister Sheikh Rehana—despite her recent claim on August 1 that “Sheikh Hasina never flees.”
Jubilant protestors raised flags and chanted slogans on the lawns of Ganabhaban and inside parliament. Many took symbolic items as mementos, while others scrawled protest messages across the buildings, denouncing years of alleged corruption, authoritarianism, and state abuse under Hasina’s rule.
The day, however, was not without tragedy. Gunfire was reported in Dhaka and other cities even after Hasina fled, resulting in over 100 deaths across the country on that day alone—adding to the high casualties of the previous day.
In the aftermath, public rage boiled over. Residences of former ministers, MPs, and ruling party leaders were attacked across the country, including the homes of Chief Justice and Hasina’s private residence Sudha Sadan. Multiple Awami League offices were also torched.
Later that day, Army Chief General Waqar Uz-Zaman convened a high-level meeting at the Army Headquarters with representatives from major political parties and civil society. Attendees included BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Jamaat-e-Islami chief Shafiqur Rahman, Islami Andolan’s Syed Faizul Karim, GM Quader of Jatiya Party, and others. University professor Dr. Asif Nazrul, now an advisor in the interim government, also joined the talks.
In a televised statement after the meeting, General Waqar announced the formation of an interim government to steer the country through the transition. He vowed justice for all victims of state violence and urged the nation to trust the armed forces, saying, “I take full responsibility. You will not be disappointed.”
That evening, President Md. Shahabuddin held a separate meeting at Bangabhaban with political leaders to honor those killed in the movement and call for national unity. The meeting agreed on maintaining communal harmony and endorsed the immediate release of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, as well as all political prisoners, including those arrested in recent protests.
Meanwhile, at a press conference held at Channel 24’s Tejgaon office, Anti-Discrimination Student Movement coordinator Nahid Islam, along with Sarjis Alam, Hasnat Abdullah, Asif Mahmud Sajib, and Abu Bakr Mojumdar, firmly rejected any military or emergency-backed government. They insisted that only a government supported by the revolutionary student-citizen movement would be legitimate.
Nahid announced plans to propose a national interim government within 24 hours. He stated that this transitional authority would include representatives from the movement, professional groups, and civil society, and their names would soon be disclosed.
In his book “July: Motherland or Death,” movement advisor Asif Mahmud later revealed that on the night of August 5, a virtual meeting was held with exiled BNP leader Tarique Rahman, offering BNP a role in the proposed interim government—a proposal Tarique reportedly declined.
That same night, the coordinators also reached out to Nobel laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus in France. After extended discussions, Yunus agreed to head the interim government. By 3:00 a.m., his appointment was announced via a social media broadcast by Nahid, Abu Bakr, and Asif Mahmud.
With this, the July uprising concluded in a student-led victory, toppling a decades-long authoritarian regime and setting the stage for a new political chapter in Bangladesh.
