- Tens of thousands of protestors march in Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka.
- Demonstrators demand the dissolution of parliament and new elections.
- Sheikh Hasina’s harshness and intimidation worried the US ambassador.
Tens of thousands of protestors marched to the streets of Dhaka to ask for the dissolution of parliament in order to hold fresh elections and to demand the resignation of Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which accuses Hasina of failing to address rising fuel prices and the cost of living, staged the large-scale protest in the capital.
The rally on Saturday takes place in the midst of a flurry of protests in Bangladesh calling for Hasina’s resignation and new elections.
Hasina’s response was to brand the opposition’s top figures “arson terrorists” and issue a warning against enabling the BNP, the main opposition party, to regain power.
Prior to the protest on Saturday, a number of arrests were made.
On Friday, police detained two prominent BNP figures, including party secretary general Mirza Alamgir. Authorities stated that Alamgir was charged without providing further details.
On Wednesday, security personnel used tear gas to scatter crowds gathering in front of the BNP’s headquarters in the capital, resulting in at least one man dying in the ensuing battles between protestors and police.
According to a report in state media source BSS, Hasan Mahmud, Bangladesh’s Minister of Information and Broadcasting, claimed that the BNP was to blame for “causing commotion” and that investigators suspect the guy passed away after being hurt by [Molotov] cocktails made by the protestors.
The following general election, which is scheduled for the end of 2023, has not yet been given a date by the Bangladesh Election Commission.
Since 2009, the Bangladesh Awami League has been in power, with Hasina, 75, as its leader.
In a national election that was plagued by deadly violence and claims of stolen ballots, Hasina won a third consecutive term as prime minister in 2018.
Human Rights Watch’s South Asia director, Meenakshi Ganguly, criticized the government’s handling of the demonstrations.
“Concerned governments should publicly call on the prime minister to allow Bangladeshis to freely engage in peaceful political activities,” she said.
“Sheikh Hasina should accept the challenge of democratic rule, not authoritarian abuse.”
In a statement released on Thursday, US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter D. Haas expressed worry over reports of political violence and intimidation and encouraged authorities to look into the reports and safeguard the rights to free speech and peaceful assembly.
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