Police baton-charge as ‘real July warriors’ clash with Shahbagh protesters

Tensions escalated at Dhaka’s Shahbagh intersection on Friday evening as a group claiming to be the “real July warriors” clashed with demonstrators staging a sit-in demanding official recognition of the July Charter.

The situation turned chaotic, prompting police to intervene with a baton charge and disperse both groups from the street. Traffic resumed shortly afterward.

The sit-in had begun on Thursday morning, with protesters under the banner of “Families of July Martyrs and July Warriors” occupying the key intersection and blocking traffic in the area. The demonstrators laid out plastic sheets and held speeches and prayers in the middle of the road.

On Friday evening, around 6:30 PM, a second group arrived, identifying themselves as the “authentic July warriors.” They confronted the sit-in participants, accusing them of being imposters and causing public disruption. Verbal arguments soon escalated into physical altercations, prompting police action.

Following the police intervention, protesters vacated the road, and authorities removed makeshift structures and loudspeakers from the site.

Witnesses said that both groups exchanged accusations—one claiming the other was aligned with political interests aiming to discredit the July movement. Several protesters sustained minor injuries during the scuffle, with some alleging unprovoked attacks by outsiders.

One protest leader, Masud Rana Saurav, stated, “We were peacefully demonstrating for our rightful recognition. Suddenly, a group identifying themselves as injured July warriors, along with police, attacked us.

Some of our members are now in the hospital,” he added.

The protest was part of ongoing political activism surrounding the July Charter, a set of reform demands stemming from last year’s mass mobilization. Tensions have grown in recent weeks as dialogue among 30 political parties continues, with uncertainty over how many will ultimately endorse the charter’s provisions.