New Delhi: On Sunday night, fresh and intense clashes broke out between students and members of Ansar, a paramilitary auxiliary force, near the Secretariat in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The Dhaka Tribune reports that the confrontation resulted in several injuries on both sides. This latest conflict comes despite Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina having left the country more than two weeks ago. Previously, the same university students had staged a month-long protest calling for the removal of controversial job reservations. However, this recent clash was not directed at the government but rather with the Ansar force, which was protesting for the nationalisation of their jobs.
What is 'Ansar Group' and what are its demands?
It is worth mentioning that "Ansar" is a paramilitary auxiliary force that assists government authorities with public security, disaster management, law enforcement, and support for the armed forces. Recently, Ansar members staged a two-day protest demanding the nationalisation of their positions. They ended their demonstration earlier in the day after receiving assurances from Lt Gen (Retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, the interim government's advisor for home affairs.
Why did fresh violence erupt in Bangladesh?
The situation turned violent when students gathered at the Raju Memorial Sculpture and marched towards the Secretariat. This unrest was triggered by reports that Ansar members were detaining Nahid Islam, an adviser in the interim government, along with other coordinators of the Students Against Discrimination movement.
Student Protest Coordinator Hasnat Abdullah criticised former Ansar director general Maj Gen AKM Aminul Haque for extending the blockade of the Secretariat even after the Ansar members' demands had been addressed. Abdullah organised a rally at the Raju Memorial Sculpture, condemning the Ansar force as "autocratic".
Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus’s appeal on Sunday for the people to have "patience" as it is difficult to address the "mountain-like challenges" overnight while promising them a free, fair, and participatory election after implementing key reforms in various sectors.
Bangladesh official says the situation is "normal"
Bangladesh's current situation is "close to normal" but there are "some challenges", a top official said, asserting that free and fair elections will be held after bringing "deeper reforms" in the violence-hit country. During an interaction with the media at the Foreign Service Academy, Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser of the interim government, Shafiqul Alam, said the interim government's "first priority is to restore law and order situation".
When asked about the current situation in Bangladesh and if it is returning to normalcy, Alam said, "What Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has been saying to foreign journalists, 'you visit all the places like rural areas or cities outside Dhaka or industrial area, You look at situation yourself and judge if it is normal or not'. " "We think the situation is normal... there are some challenges," he said, adding that all police stations have reopened and they have resumed their duty. "We think, it (situation) is close to normal," Alam added.
Asked when the elections would be held, the press secretary said free and fair elections would be held after "deeper reforms" are made in Bangladesh.
Why are Bangladesh protesting even after Hasina's ouster?
After unprecedented anti-government protests that reached a crescendo on August 5, Hasina resigned and fled the country, even as protesters had termed the fall of the government and her departure a "day of victory". She landed in India on August 5 and is currently staying in New Delhi, even as her over two-week-long presence in India has given rise to multiple speculations. The Hasina-led government was replaced by an interim government, and 84-year-old Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus was named its Chief Adviser.
More than 600 people have been killed in the protests in Bangladesh since mid-July against a controversial quota system in government jobs. Despite Hasina resigning from her post, Bangladeshi are still angry as they blame her for allowing "harsh" measures against the protesting students. In fact, since her ouster, several political parties urged India to hand over her so that she could face charges in court.
