Protests have erupted in Bangladesh, with hundreds of demonstrators attempting to storm the presidential palace, demanding President Mohammed Shahabuddin's resignation.
What triggered the unrest?
As per a report by PTI, the unrest stems from Shahabuddin's recent comments on former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's departure, where he claimed to have no documentary evidence of her resignation before she fled the country on August 5 amidst mass protests.
The situation turned violent as protesters, affiliated with the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, clashed with police.
Police had to resort to lathi charge and fire tear gas shells to disperse the crowd resulting in injuries and property damage.
Violence has erupted once again in Bangladesh, this time with students and protesters demanding the resignation of the President. #Bangladesh
— Ashoke Raj (@Ashoke_Raj) October 22, 2024
Violent protests continue at Bangabhaban in Dhaka.
Scuffles between police and security personnel.
Protesters blocked Gulistan Road… pic.twitter.com/QISEV9BNnN
The movement has given Shahabuddin a seven-day ultimatum to step down and has demanded the scrapping of Bangladesh's 1972 Constitution
Student demands
The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, which spearheaded the campaign against Hasina, rallied at Central Shaheed Minar, demanding Shahabuddin's resignation. Their five-point demand includes:
- Immediate scrapping of the 1972 Constitution
- Replacement with a new constitution
- Resignation of President Shahabuddin
'Protestors would return to the streets with full force'
Reported by PTI, Hasnat Abdullah, coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Students Movement, stated, "Our first point (of the five-point demand) is immediate scrapping of the 'pro-Mujib (Bangladesh's founding leader) 1972 Constitution' which kept Chuppu (president's nickname) in office... The (1972) Constitution will have to be replaced by writing a new one against the backdrop of 2024 mass upheaval."
Abdullah warned, "The protestors would return to the streets with full force if the government failed to meet the demands by this week."
#Bangladesh once again on the boil. Protesters clash with police while demonstrating in front of the Bangabhaban, or the President's House in #Dhaka on Tuesday evening.
— Indrajit Kundu | ইন্দ্রজিৎ (@iindrojit) October 22, 2024
Protesters have been demanding the resignation of President Mohammed Shahabuddin over his recent remarks… pic.twitter.com/MuuFLRqZ0E
The government has responded to the protests with criticism and reassessments. Law affairs adviser Asif Nazrul condemned President Mohammed Shahabuddin's comments as "falsehood" and a breach of his oath, suggesting the interim government may reevaluate Shahabuddin's fitness for office.
(With PTI inputs)