Echoes of August 21

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The tragic events of August 21, 2004, left an indelible mark on Bangladesh's political landscape. For those who witnessed the chaos and aftermath, the memories are still fresh and haunting. This reflection revisits the sorrow, anger, and political shifts that emerged from that fateful day, underscoring the deep wounds it inflicted on the nation's psyche. Through a personal lens, this piece captures the echoes of August 21—a day that changed Bangladesh forever.

I arrived in Dhaka from Domar on August 14, 2004, carrying my bags and a heavy heart. I was job hunting then, often crying alone in this friendless city. My friend Rashed was gearing up to go to Saudi Arabia, chasing the promise of petrodollars. Whenever he visited Dhaka, we would wander the streets and talk for hours. Journalist Salem Suleri’s office was in Meherba Plaza on Topkhana Road, where our friend Swapan worked. I would drop by occasionally to spend time there as well.

The Awami League had planned a public meeting on August 21, with Sheikh Hasina herself set to speak. Rashed told me, “Brother, I’ll be back on the 20th. Come to Swapan Da’s place, and we’ll go to the public meeting together.” Both of us were holding key positions in the Domar Chhatra League at the time—Rashed in Domar, and me, unemployed and alone, waiting for the 21st in this unfamiliar city.

I didn’t own a phone back then. I had given Rashed a contact number of someone at the place I was staying, and he was supposed to call me once he reached Dhaka. On the 20th, I waited, but no call came. The next day, August 21, still no word from Rashed. In the afternoon, I thought of going to the public meeting alone but hesitated, thinking Rashed might call as soon as I left. Trapped in indecision, I remained in a building near Begum Rokeya Sarani, where I lived in a cramped attic.

Disheartened, I sat down at a tea stall, watching the day pass. Suddenly, people started rushing home in panic. What had happened? Someone in the crowd said, “They’ve killed Sheikh Hasina.” I was stunned. The entire country, the world, every nation linked to Bangladesh, knows what happened that day. Every foreign diplomat in Dhaka knows the horror that unfolded.

The following day, I visited Paltan and then Bangabandhu Avenue, which looked like a market of abandoned shoes and sandals. I went to Meherba Plaza, where small groups of angry people were marching. Clashes broke out with the police; there were chases, and tear gas filled the air. When Ivy Rahman passed away, I joined the massive procession carrying her body, walking all the way to Mohakhali.

Do you understand what August 21 did to the politics of Bangladesh? It disrupted the political equilibrium, injecting a toxic wound that has festered ever since. Sheikh Hasina, determined to avoid future attacks, has seen bureaucracy swell to unprecedented levels, overshadowing politics and altering the very fabric of our governance.

Today, on this sorrowful day of August 21, I pray for peace for the departed souls of all the martyrs. I wish for peace in Bangladesh, my beloved homeland. May our nation break free from its chains, may it prosper, and may it find the path to healing. Joy Bangla.

Written by:
Editor of Littlemag AkaalBodhon
Date: August 21, 2024


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