Traffic in central Dhaka returned to normal Friday evening after a group claiming to be the “real July Warriors” confronted and dispersed protesters who had blockaded Shahbagh for 32 hours.
The demonstration, led by a platform calling itself the July Warriors Council, had been demanding full implementation of the July proclamation and charter. Their blockade brought heavy disruption to one of the city’s busiest intersections.
The standoff ended around 6 p.m. when students and civilians arrived at Shahbagh, accusing the demonstrators of being impostors. Witnesses said the crowd broke through the barricades and confronted the protesters, calling them “fake July Warriors.”
“They were causing public suffering for no reason,” said one man who identified himself as a July-injured person. “The government has already announced a date. This only fuels resentment against the movement.” He held up his ID card, then pointed to the scars on his body. Bullet wounds, he said, from the July uprising.
It all happened fast. A scuffle broke out, sending people scrambling for a second. The police were right there, pulling everyone apart. It looked like it was over before anyone got really hurt, thank God.
Ariful Islam, who was nearby, wasn’t surprised. “After two solid days of gridlock,” he said, “the public’s patience had just run out.”
“People were exhausted. When we saw the real July Warriors with their ID cards and injuries, it became clear who was telling the truth,” he said.
By early evening, both groups had left the area, and vehicles were moving normally through Shahbagh and surrounding roads.
