Bangladesh unrest: Fresh protests have erupted in Bangladesh, days after violent unrest forced ex-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resign and flee the country, as students converged in front of the Supreme Court and demanded the resignation of the Chief Justice. The leaders of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement have announced a siege of the High Court due to fears of a judiciary coup, according to Dhaka Tribune.
The protests were sparked by a full-court meeting called by the Chief Justice without consulting the newly formed interim government. Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan has announced the postponement of the meeting where they were supposed to decide on how the court could operate under the current circumstances and other issues.
The Chief Justice, meanwhile, has decided to step down from his post "in principle" after an ultimatum to do so from protesters. Hassan will tender his resignation after consulting President Mohammed Shahabuddin in the evening. Meanwhile, Law Adviser Prof Asif Nazrul said that the chief justice should determine his fate to protect the dignity of the judiciary and respect the demands of students.
The student protesters gathered in front of the Supreme Court's annexe building at 11 am (local time) on Saturday and chanted slogans demanding the chief justice's resignation. Bangladesh's newly-appointed Youth and Sports Ministry Adviser, Asif Mahmud also joined these calls by giving an ultimatum for Hassan's resignation.
What did students say on Chief Justice?
Army personnel requested all protesters to leave the area around the High Court after Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan announced his resignation. "Please move away from this place. A mishap could occur in such a crowd, damaging the courthouse and hindering your protest," said Army personnel on loudspeakers.
"Chief justice of the Supreme Court, nurtured by fascism and involved in various misdeeds, has called a full court meeting without any discussions with the government. No conspiracy by the defeated forces will be tolerated. Students and lawyers have already started to gather in protest," Mahmud said in a Facebook post.
Hasnat Abdullah, a coordinator of the student movement, also called for surrounding the High Court to stop the "judiciary coup" and protect the uprising of students and citizens, calling on people to march towards the building. "We had already called for the chief justice's resignation. If they take a stance against the students and incite them, they will have to face dire consequences," he said in a Facebook post.
The fresh protests came after a violent agitation against the Sheikh Hasina government forced her to resign and flee the country, ending her 15-year-old reign. At least 232 people were killed after Hasina's resignation, taking the death toll of the past few weeks to 560. An interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus was sworn in on Thursday.
Protests over attacks on Hindus
Bangladesh is also witnessing fierce protests by hundreds of people targeting the country's minority Hindus since Hasina's departure. A school teacher was killed and at least 45 people injured as homes, businesses, and temples of Hindus in Muslim-majority Bangladesh were targeted amidst the violence.
Protesters - some of them carrying posters demanding Bangladeshi minorities be "saved" - chanted slogans of "who are we, Bengali Bengali" and appealed for peace as they blocked an intersection in the capital on Friday. Bangladesh's Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council estimates at least 52 of the country's 64 districts have been impacted by communal violence since August 5 and has sought Yunus' help in controlling the situation.
Newly-appointed interior ministry adviser retired Brig Gen M Sakhawat Hossain said the administration was "very concerned" about reports of vandalism and attacks on minorities, adding that some were "slightly exaggerated". Hossain said he would reach out to law enforcement agencies immediately to restore confidence.
In the wake of the ongoing tension in the neighbouring nation, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said the Modi government has constituted a committee to monitor the current situation on the Indo-Bangladesh Border (IBB). He added that the Central committee will maintain communication channels with their counterpart authorities in Bangladesh to ensure the safety and security of Indian nationals, Hindus, and other minority communities living there.
(with inputs from Reuters)
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