DHAKA, Bangladesh — Bangladeshi safety forces on Wednesday clashed with supporters of ousted Top Minister Sheikh Hasina, leaving no less than 4 folks lifeless and ratings injured, a health center reliable and native media mentioned.
The violence erupted within the morning and unfold as a brand new political birthday celebration shaped through scholars who led the rebellion towards Hasina in August remaining 12 months introduced a march towards southwestern Gopalganj district, Hasina’s ancestral house, and her Awami League birthday celebration’s stronghold.
Government later imposed an in a single day curfew within the district.
Since Hasina’s ouster 11 months in the past, Bangladesh has been marked through chaos and unchecked mob violence. Wednesday’s assault underscores the deep divisions within the nation as its intervening time executive helps to keep failing to deliver the deteriorating safety scenario beneath regulate.
TV pictures confirmed pro-Hasina activists armed attacking police with sticks and atmosphere cars on hearth as a convoy of about 20 cars wearing the leaders of the scholars’ Nationwide Citizen Birthday celebration arrived as a part of commemorations of the rebellion.
Birthday celebration leaders took safe haven within the place of business of the native police leader. Pictures confirmed most sensible leaders have been being escorted through squaddies to an armored automobile for protection. They later left for a neighboring district with safety escorts.
Jibitesh Biswas, a senior reliable of a state-run health center, advised newshounds that the our bodies of no less than 3 folks have been introduced in. The rustic’s main English-language Day-to-day Celebrity reported that 4 folks died.
The intervening time executive mentioned Wednesday the attackers at the scholars would now not move “unpunished” and in a observation issued on behalf of intervening time chief Muhammad Yunus, described the violence in Gopalganj as “totally indefensible.”
Hasina’s Awami League birthday celebration, which government banned in Might, issued a number of statements on X condemning the violence and blaming the intervening time executive for the deaths and accidents.
“We urge the arena to take into account of this blatant use of safety equipment,” one Awami observation mentioned, including that it had used mob violence towards “dissenters.”
Pupil chief Nahid Islam gave the government a 24-hour ultimatum to arrest the ones chargeable for the Gopalganj violence and floated the chance of every other march within the neighboring district of Faridpur on Thursday.
The proper wing Jamaat-e-Islami birthday celebration condemned the assaults at the student-led birthday celebration and introduced a national protest in all districts and major towns for Thursday.
Critics of the intervening time executive warn of a widening polarization that has decreased hopes for nationwide reconciliation whilst Yunus’ management pledges to deliver order within the post-Hasina technology. They are saying if the placement does now not strengthen, a calm transition to democracy can be jeopardized.
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Yunus took over the rustic 3 days after Hasina was once toppled and fled to India, pledging to revive order. He has promised a brand new election can be held in April subsequent 12 months.
Hasina now faces fees of crimes towards humanity whilst the federal government seeks her extradition from India, which has now not answered to Bangladesh’s request.
Gopalganj is a politically delicate district as a result of Hasina father’s mausoleum is situated there. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the rustic’s independence chief, was once buried there after he was once assassinated together with maximum of his members of the family in an army coup in 1975.
The Nationwide Citizen Birthday celebration introduced its “July March to Rebuild the Country” originally of the month, pronouncing they’d happen throughout all districts as a part of its pressure to place itself as a brand new pressure in Bangladeshi politics.
Bangladesh’s political previous has been in large part ruled through two dynastic events — Hasina’s Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Birthday celebration, or BNP, headed through her rival and previous high minister Khaleda Zia. The BNP, which is hopeful of coming to energy within the absence of Hasina’s birthday celebration, was once most commonly silent about Wednesday’s violence.
