A massive demonstration unfolded in the capital city of Dhaka, where over 100,000 supporters of two prominent opposition parties in Bangladesh, namely the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami, gathered. Their rallying cry called for the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, with the aim of establishing conditions for a free and fair election under a neutral government. This gathering marked a significant development in their ongoing protests, particularly as the general election is a mere three months away.
The rallies that transpired on Saturday, organized by the primary opposition party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), and the largest Islamic political party, Jamaat-e-Islami, were the largest of the year, as reported by on-site AFP journalists. The opposition's resurgence in their demands has been evident for months, despite the fact that the BNP's leader, Khaleda Zia, a two-time former prime minister and a historical adversary of Hasina's, is effectively under house arrest following a conviction on corruption charges.
Supporters of Khaleda Zia descended upon Dhaka, arriving in packed buses despite the checkpoints on the road to the capital. Some even resorted to riding atop crowded trains, underscoring their commitment to the cause. The crowd at the BNP demonstration in front of the party's headquarters chanted slogans such as "Vote thief, vote thief, Sheikh Hasina vote thief."
A 24-year-old student activist from Chittagong, Sikandar Badsha, emphasized the key demands: "We demand the immediate resignation of the Hasina government, release of our leader Khaleda Zia, and establishing the people's right to vote."
In an effort to maintain order, at least 10,000 police officers were deployed, although confrontations with protestors did occur. In one instance, police used tear gas and rubber bullets in the Kakrail neighbourhood in front of the city's largest Catholic church, leading to injuries among some police officers.
The Dhaka Metropolitan Police reported that approximately 100,000 people participated in the BNP rally, while around 25,000 attended the Jamaat protest near the city's primary commercial district. Notably, the latter event had been banned by police, and despite hundreds of officers in riot gear blocking a key intersection, roughly 3,000 protestors managed to break through the cordon.
Furthermore, police detained at least 200 BNP supporters near the party's headquarters on accusations of hurling Molotov cocktails, and at least 600 individuals had been apprehended during the previous week.
A spokesman for the BNP asserted that their rally had seen over one million participants, characterizing it as their "final call" for Hasina to step down. They also reported that at least 2,900 of their activists and supporters had been arrested in the past week.
Should Sheikh Hasina not resign voluntarily, a scenario widely considered unlikely, the opposition has threatened to escalate their protests with more aggressive measures such as strikes and blockades.
The political climate in Bangladesh has raised concerns among Western governments, especially considering the dominance of Sheikh Hasina's ruling Awami League in the legislature, effectively treating it as a rubber stamp. Her security forces have been accused of detaining tens of thousands of opposition activists, with hundreds reportedly killed in extrajudicial encounters and numerous leaders and supporters disappearing.
