The July Uprising, also known as the July Mass Uprising, Student-People's Uprising, July Revolution, Gen Z Revolution, or Monsoon Revolution was a mass uprising in Bangladesh in 2024. Starting in early–June 2024, the uprising concluded with the resignation of Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government on 5 August 2024, ending its 15 year-long regime. It has been described as the world's first successful Gen Z revolution, and was led by the Students Against Discrimination.
Beginning as a quota reform movement in June 2024 after the Supreme Court of Bangladesh reinstated the controversial government job quotas which reserved 30% of government job seats for the descendants of the freedom fighters, the protests intensified after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina referred to the protesters as "grandchildren of Razakars", resulting in nationwide anti-government slogans and demonstrations. Following which, law enforcement agencies and activists of the ruling party, the Awami League, cracked down on the protesters, which resulted in the death of more than 1,000 people, making it the deadliest period since the independence of the country. Human rights organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch blamed the government and its security force's violent response for the death of "students, journalists, and bystanders" that accounted for human rights abuse.
Although reinstated quotas were anulled by the Supreme Court soon after, the protests continued demanding justice for protesters deceased as a result of the movement. On 3rd August, a one-point demand, consisting of the resignation of Sheikh Hasina was announced by the protest coordinators. After an increased period of violence in the non-cooperation movement, Hasina resigned and exiled to India on 5th August. Her resignation triggered a constitutional crisis, as well as resulted in political and religious violence.
Coinciding with the first anniversary of the resignation of Hasina, on 5 August 2025, the uprising received constitutional acknowledgment with the announcement of the July Declaration by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, which included a pledge to hold a free and fair general election and constitutional referendum on the July Charter alongside the election. The uprising left a profound impact in Bangladesh, influencing popular culture and sociopolitical discourse. It was a part of the wider Gen Z protests, influencing many other protests in Asia.
Names
"July Uprising", "July Mass Uprising", "Student–People's Uprising" and "36 July" are the movement's most widely used names. On 3 August, one of the coordinators of the Students Against Discrimination, Nahid Islam said,
We haven't gone to August yet. We will go to August only after this July killings are judged.
As a result, the movement is known as the "July Revolution". On 11 September, in an address to the nation, Muhammad Yunus called the events as "Student–Worker–People's Uprising" against fascism.
Other names of the protests include "Monsoon Revolution", "2024 Bangladesh Revolution", and "Gen Z Revolution".
Background
After the Awami League was elected following the 2008 elections, it abolished the caretaker government system. Afterwards, the Awami League won three consecutive national elections in 2014, 2018 and 2024, considered by a vast majority of Bangladeshis as having been rigged in favour of the ruling party. Most political parties, including the opposition led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami boycotted the 2014 and 2024 elections, in response.
During the government's 15-year tenure, the government carried out a massive crackdown on its political opponents, with opposition leaders being sidelined through charging them with false, fabricated cases. At this time, the dissemination of information in the media and the freedom of public expression was strictly regulated through laws such as the Digital Security Act, 2018. Since taking office in 2009, Sheikh Hasina's Awami League largely failed to fulfill job creation promises. While the public sector expanded with better pay and benefits, the political influence determined access to these jobs.
During this period, the government was reported to have used law enforcement forces and Awami League affiliates, particularly the Chhatra League, to manage and suppress various movements, including non-political ones. Allegations of violence and repression involving the Chhatra League were reported on multiple institutions and university campuses. Over the last three terms, allegations of corruption, money laundering, declining reserves, and irregularities in the banking sector were raised against Awami League leaders at various levels of the government. These issues were associated with rising living costs and growing public dissatisfaction. They also detained many dissenters in the name of counterterrorism.
History
In 2018, a mass movement arose in Bangladesh demanding quota reform in government jobs, led by the General Students' Rights Protection Council. The movement's main objective was to reform the ongoing quota system in Class I and II government jobs. After continuous agitation and pressure by students, the government announced the abolition of the 46-year-old quota system.
In 2021, seven children of freedom fighters, including Ahidul Islam, filed a written petition to the High Court challenging this decision. On 5 June 2024, a High Court bench of Justice KM Kamrul Quader and Justice Khizir Hayat declared the decision to scrap the quota system invalid. Immediately after the announcement of the verdict, students started protesting it at universities across the country.
The movement became more intense in July, with students staging blockades including the "Bangla Blockade". During this time, police used excessive force to quell the agitation. A protestor named Abu Sayed was shot dead by police in Rangpur, marking the first casualty in the movement. This incident made the movement more intense and increased tension across the country.
After that, the movement became violent, causing many more casualties because of attacks by law enforcement agencies, Chhatra League and Jubo League. A curfew was imposed across the country and the internet was shut down. The hearing date of the Appellate Division was later brought forward due to agitation.
Students Against Discrimination gained momentum when private university students joined on 16 July. In response to the escalating quota reform movement, the government mandated the closure of all educational institutions on 16 July 2024. On 17 July, students residing in dormitories at public universities across the nation, including University of Dhaka, were compelled to vacate their accommodations. Due to the permanent residency of a significant portion of private university students in Dhaka, their presence in the city noticeably increased on 18 July.
On that date, a substantial confrontation occurred between law enforcement and students affiliated with Primeasia University, BRAC University and East West University in the Rampura area. Simultaneously, students from American International University-Bangladesh, North South University, Independent University, Bangladesh, Dhaka International University and United International University staged demonstrations along Kuril Bishwa Road and Pragati Sarani. Concurrently, protests were initiated by students from Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology, Bangladesh University of Textiles, Southeast University in Mohakhali area and Northern University in the Uttara region.
Razakar slogans
On 14 July, during a press conference, Sheikh Hasina responded to a question about the protests:
If the grandchildren of freedom fighters don't get quota benefits, will those then go to the grandchildren of the Razakars? That's my question to the countrymen.
In response, in the early hours of 15 July, students began using slogans such as,
তুমি কে? আমি কে?রাজাকার, রাজাকার।কে বলেছে? কে বলেছে?স্বৈরাচার, স্বৈরাচার!
lit. 'Who are you? Who am I?Razakar, Razakar.Who said it? Who said it?Autocrat, Autocrat!'.
Protesters argued that Hasina's statement indirectly labelled them "Razakars" and demeaned them for advocating for quota reform, which led them to adopt the slogan.
Internet outage
To prevent the movement from spreading nationwide, the government ordered the internet shut down across the country. The shutdown began on 18 July and ended on 28 July. Social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube remained restricted till 5 August.
Judgment of the Appellate Division on the case
On 4 July, the Appellate Division of Bangladesh Supreme court declared the government's decision to invalidate the Freedom Fighter quota for the first time. The second categories of government jobs were also declared invalid without hearing the application of the state. It upheld the High Court's verdict for the time being and asked the state to file a leave of appeal. At that time Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan said that the movement was taking place but it is not possible to change the verdict of the High Court by just protesting on the streets.
Later on 10 July, the Appellate Division issued a four-week status quo order on the High Court verdict along with some observations and directions in view of the petition filed by the state party and two students. 7 August had been fixed for the next hearing.
When the full judgment of the High Court was published on 14 July, leave to appeal was filed by the state and two students. Based on the application of Attorney General AM Amin Uddin on 18 July, the Chamber Court of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, Justice M Enayetur Rahim fixed the date of hearing the case on Sunday, 21 July.
On 21 July, the Appellate Division reinstated the quota and quashed the judgment given by the High Court. At the same time, even though it is a policy-making matter for the government, in the interest of complete justice according to the constitution, the court ordered 93 percent merit-based recruitment in government jobs. On this day, for the first time in the history of Bangladesh, the proceedings of the Supreme Court were held under curfew.
Massacre
By early August 2024, the unrest resulted in a significant death toll both law enforcement and protesters. Initial official reports claimed 215 deaths, but a United Nations investigation later confirmed that at least 1400 people were killed. In August, the Interim government's Health and Welfare Adviser, Nurjahan Begum, reported that over 1,000 individuals had been killed in the uprising and more than 400 students had lost their eyesight. Additionally, more than 20,000 were injured, and over 11,000 were arrested nationwide. Among the deceased were at least 32 children, according to UNICEF. The exact number of casualties remain uncertain due to the Awami League government putting restrictions on information, including reports that hospitals were barred from sharing data, CCTV footage was confiscated by security forces, some killed were put in to secret mass graves and some victims were buried without identification.
The massacre, known as the July massacre, prompted significant criticism and calls for accountability. The University Teachers Network held a demonstration at the University of Dhaka, expressing concern over the violence.
Protibadi Nagorik Somaj condemned the killings during the movement, calling them a massacre and expressing doubts about the judiciary's ability to deliver impartial justice, as the inquiry commission was formed by the Hasina government, which is accused of involvement in the massacre. Some academics rejected the government-established public inquiry commission, calling for intervention by the United Nations.
In Sylhet, Nagorik Alem Somaj organized a protest criticizing the killings.
Sheikh Hasina, in her first public statement published through her son Sajeeb Wazed, since being ousted from power, called for an investigation into the deaths during the protests, while also asserting that the police and the Awami League were victims of "terrorist aggression."
Govinda Pramanik, president of the Bangladesh National Hindu Grand Alliance and a pro-Indian voice alleged that the government had killed over 500 innocent people to maintain power, urging that the events be prosecuted at the International Crimes Tribunal in Bangladesh.
Several labor unions and organizations also criticized the killings, demanding justice for those who lost their lives during the July massacre.
A protest march under the banner of Chittagong University Chhatra Dal in Chattogram demanded prosecution against Sheikh Hasina for the massacre.
The Left Democratic Alliance, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal and the Anti-Fascist Left Front criticized the Awami League government rule, urging financial compensation for the families of those killed in the protests and free medical care for the injured. Similarly, the National Democratic Party demanded ৳10 million in compensation for the families of those who died during the massacre, along with a government job for at least one member of each affected family.
Islami Andolan Bangladesh called for an independent tribunal to ensure justice for the victims of the massacre. In addition, the People's Rights Party called for all political parties within the Grand Alliance, including Awami League, to be barred from future elections.
Non-cooperation movement
On 4 August, thousands of protesters gathered at the Shahbag intersection in the morning, obstructing it as a form of civil disobedience to demand the government's resignation.
Following the start of the Non-cooperation movement, various left-wing organisations in Bangladesh took part in protests. The Proletarian Party of East Bengal for example began a graffiti campaign within the city following the fall of Hasina and the Awami League aimed at criticising the army and calling for an end to military rule. Other far-left student groups also took part in the revolution, such as the Revolutionary Student-Youth Movement, a Marxist–Leninist–Maoist organisation.