10 November: Commemorating Shaheed Noor Hossain

Today, 10 November, marks Shaheed Noor Hossain Day. On this day in 1987, Noor Hossain was shot and killed during a pro-democracy march in Dhaka against the then military ruler Hussain Muhammad Ershad. His sacrifice accelerated the downfall of the authoritarian regime.

Noor Hossain marched at the forefront of the demonstration, with “Down with Dictatorship” written on his chest and “Let Democracy Prevail” on his back. At Zero Point in Dhaka, police and law enforcement opened fire, killing Noor Hossain and intensifying the movement. Persistent protests eventually led to Ershad’s resignation on 6 December 1990 and the restoration of democracy. Every year, various political, social, and cultural organisations commemorate the day with programmes and events.

Noor Hossain was born in Narinda, Dhaka, into a family of a rickshaw driver. He studied up to the eighth grade before learning to drive. On 10 November 1987, he participated in a march led by Awami League President Sheikh Hasina at Paltan. Upon reaching Zero Point, the police dispersed the crowd with tear gas and gunfire. Noor Hossain and Jubo League leader Babul were shot dead, and the slogans on Noor Hossain’s chest and back became symbols of the movement.

Just a month after his martyrdom, on 6 December 1987, Ershad dissolved the national parliament. His authoritarian rule formally ended with his resignation on 6 December 1990. In the February 1991 elections, the BNP formed the government. The site where Noor Hossain was shot is now named Shaheed Noor Hossain Square.

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