July 26–28, 2024: The Crackdown Intensifies, But So Does the Resistance

On July 26, plainclothes officers entered Gonoshasthaya Nagar Hospital, where Nahid Islam and fellow coordinator Asif Mahmud were still recovering. Along with a third activist, Bakir Mojumder, they were taken away without warrant or explanation.

Across the country, arrests escalated. Police carried out block raids, sweeping through neighborhoods and detaining students in the dead of night. By July 27, student leaders Sarjees Alam and Hasnat Abdullah were also in custody. On July 28, Nusrat Tabassum, another prominent coordinator, was taken into detention.

That evening, a video was released. Six student leaders appeared on screen, stating that the movement was being called off. But the public knew something was wrong. The video had been recorded inside a police facility. The words felt forced. Within hours, three other coordinators—Mahin Sarker, Abdul Kader, and Abdul Hannan Masud—issued a separate message.

They confirmed the truth. “These statements,” they said, “were made at gunpoint. Police headquarters is not a place for student press conferences.”

Outrage followed. Across the country, protesters returned to the streets. They were no longer just calling for quota reform. They were calling for the right to dissent. They were calling for their democracy back.