In the second part of this series, recorded soon after the July Uprising led to the ousting of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, students from North South University and BRAC University reflect on their hopes and expectations for a new Bangladesh.
As private university students, they were not affiliated with any political party and had little personal stake in the original quota reform movement that sparked the protests. Yet after witnessing the brutal crackdown on fellow students, they joined the July Uprising in solidarity. What began as a peaceful student movement evolved into a nationwide uprising against repression, culminating in the fall of the authoritarian government in August 2024. Episode 1 focused on the violence students endured and witnessed.
Episode 2 turns to their visions for a democratic, pluralistic Bangladesh and the possibilities of rebuilding political culture after authoritarianism.
This series serves as an archive of students’ personal experiences of the movement, the violent crackdown, and the hopes they carried forward. It is also a record for posterity, as Bangladesh moves in whatever direction comes next. How will these hopes and expectations withstand the test of time, political realities, and future pressures?
This series is presented and hosted by Tamoha Siddiqui, a university lecturer and published poet from Bangladesh. The recording was made during a series of webinar conversations and later edited thematically.
