The “Alternative Social Media” Narrative to Create United Nationalism in July Revolution
Bangladesh had a dramatic transformation on August 5, 2024, when the government of former prime minister Shaikh Hasina was toppled. One of the main forces behind this movement was thestudent-led protest over the quota dispute. Social media sites including Facebook, WhatsApp,
Telegram, X (formerly known as “Twitter”), YouTube, Messenger, TikTok, and others werecrucial for the demonstrators’ ability to connect and disperse around the nation and the world. Thegovernment tried to slow down the movement’s progress, but to no avail.
Today’s youth use social media and the internet to fight injustice worldwide because of their greaterdependency on these platforms. Obrello projects that by 2024, Bangladesh will have 55.1 millionFacebook users, placing it second in South Asia behind India and eighth globally. According to
Digital 2024, Bangladesh’s estimated population consists of 188.6 million cellular connections,77.36 million internet users, 1.69 million X users, 33.60 million YouTube users, 37.36 millionTikTok users, and 28.30 million Facebook Messenger users.
Sheikh Hasina’s collapse was caused by the student uprising that occurred in Bangladesh in July.Students exploited social media as a weapon against the government and an alternative totraditional media for communication. In response to the protest, thousands of people died from the
government’s use of force and curfew. The victims included academics, professionals in the media,kids, adults, and other people. Because government actions have raised the mortality rate, manypeople are still battling death in hospitals.In recent years, social media has become a potent alternative media source because of its capacityto support citizen journalism and supply political and social organisations with information.”Affective Publics” by Zizi Papacharissi, “Alternative Digital Activism” by Lina Dencik andOliver Leistert, “Hashtag Publics” by Nathan Rambukkana, and “Connective Action” by W. Lance Bennett and Alexandra Segerberg are a few important theories on this topic.
Social media had a big impact on the anti-government demonstrations in Bangladesh from July 1to August 5, 2024. Social media users were drawn to the assassination of student Aby Sayeed andthe attack on students at the University of Dhaka. Students used Telegram and Facebook to tell others about the protests and ask for help from individuals at various universities and institutions.
In response to the protests, the government implemented stringent policies, including nationwidecurfews and internet outages. The Bangladeshi government had caused significant internet outagesthat have disrupted 4G and 3G services and incited anger among students. Facebook, WhatsApp,
Telegram, Viber, Imo, YouTube, Signal, and Skype were among the social media and messagingapps that the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre (NTMC) outlawed once theybecame involved. While social networking and texting apps were blocked, internet connectivitywas eventually restored. Even after internet service was restored, people persisted in opposing thegovernment’s unjust acts. Bangladeshis were deeply concerned as rickshaw pullers, parents,schoolchildren, street vendors, and other members of the public joined the demonstrations.Throughout the event, social media played a crucial role in uniting people and expressing theirdissatisfaction with the dictatorial Hasina administration. Wasim Akram, Abu Sayed, MirMugdho, Dipto Dey, Hridoy Tarua, Farhan Faiyaaz, Tahir Zaman Prio, and Jahiduzzaman Tanvin are among the tragic cases that are noteworthy. As a result of the moving condolences conveyed
on social media by the families of the martyrs, the nation came together.
The people of Bangladesh now want a society where everything will be done for the average man,free from tyranny, corruption, and inequity. The fury and nationalism that the “July Revolution”in Bangladesh inspired among the common people will make it a historical footnote. The struggleagainst injustice and persecution has greatly benefitted from the use of Facebook, X, Telegram,YouTube, TikTok, and other social media platforms. Social media, in the end, is essential forbringing the country together and providing a forum for the populace to voice their opposition to the despotic and oppressive Hasina dictatorship.