February 14: Anti-Autocracy Day

Staff Reporter

On February 14, 1983, police opened fire on student protests under orders from the autocratic military ruler Hussain Muhammad Ershad, resulting in bloodshed on Dhaka University campus and other locations in the country. The day is now observed as Anti-Autocracy Day.

The event marked a significant movement by students after the 1952 Language Movement. The protests were sparked by the controversial education policy introduced by Mazid Khan, which proposed a 12-year secondary education program, reduced university autonomy, and required students to bear 50% of educational costs, offering higher education access even to those with poor academic performance.

In September 1982, student organizations agreed to oppose the policy, and the February 14 protests emerged as part of broader resistance against military rule. The Student Struggle Council, formed by 11 progressive student organizations, called for demonstrations demanding the repeal of the education policy, the release of detained students, an end to repression, and the restoration of democracy and fundamental rights. Thousands of students joined protests nationwide.

When protesters reached the High Court area in Dhaka, police blocked their march. After an escalating confrontation, police deployed riot vehicles to disperse the crowd with hot water cannons, followed by baton charges, and eventually opened fire indiscriminately.

The first to be shot was Zainal, who was bayoneted after falling to the ground. Dipali Saha, a child visiting the Shishu Academy, was also killed by gunfire, with her body subsequently hidden by police. Other bodies were reportedly removed or concealed by law enforcement, with deaths reported in areas such as Jatrabari, Motijheel, and Paltan.

Former student leader and DUCSU General Secretary Moshtaq Hossain told the BBC that police loaded many bodies into trucks, making recovery impossible. Only Zainal’s body could be taken to Dhaka Medical College, where doctors declared him dead. Hossain estimated at least 50 deaths, noting that families searched in vain for their loved ones.

On February 15, police shot and killed Kanchan in Chattogram. Authorities allegedly suppressed information on further casualties and continued to detain and torture students to stifle the movement. Despite the repression, protests gained momentum, forcing the government to suspend the education policy.

The sacrifices of the students remain a symbol of resistance, commemorated annually as Anti-Autocracy Day.