Fresh protests erupted in Bangladesh on Tuesday as demonstrators laid siege to Bangabhaban, the official residence of President Mohammed Shahabuddin, commonly known as “Chuppu,” demanding his resignation. The protesters, mostly students, marched towards the palace late at night but were met by barricades set up by the army. Despite the roadblocks, protesters continued to gather outside the palace, chanting slogans demanding the president’s resignation.
A group of protesters tried to break through the barricades outside the Bangabhaban Presidential Palace in Dhaka. The army and police intervened to stop them, using batons and tear gas. Eyewitnesses reported at least one protester injured.
The demonstration came after the president’s comments on the resignation of the country’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The politician said he never received an official statement about her resignation and that there was no documentary confirmation from the administration. In a subsequent statement, Chuppu agreed that her resignation was a fait accompli.
Bangladesh’s caretaker government called Chuppu’s statements false and improper. The press office of the head of the caretaker cabinet said there is no question of removing the president from office for now. However, the justice minister said that if the politician sticks to his views, the government should reconsider its stance.
The mass demonstrations began this summer with students demanding the cancellation of the civil service job quota system. Under this system, 30 per cent of civil service jobs were reserved for veterans of the 1971 war of independence with Pakistan and their relatives. Students considered these quotas discriminatory and not helpful in fighting unemployment in the country. Pretty soon, the student protests grew into a nationwide movement. During the weeks-long unrest, a total of about 300 people were killed.
