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PoliticsBangladesh

Bangladesh: Thousands rally to mark ousting of PM

September 5, 2024

Thousands of angry students marched in the streets of Dhaka to celebrate the ouster of long-serving PM Sheikh Hasina. Bangladeshis are demanding that Hasina, who fled to neighboring India, be put on trial.

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A man standing above a crowd holds up a flare, a large bullhorn and a Bangladeshi flag can be sen nearby
Students want their ousted PM to return home to stand trial — speaking from exile in India, Sheikh Hasina has called for 'justice' Image: Rajib Dhar/AP/picture alliance

Tens of thousands of students and supporters marched through the streets of Dhaka, Bangladesh, Thursday to celebrate the ousting of the country's former long-serving prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, one month ago.

The event was billed as a "March for Martyrs," that commemorated the lives of the many people killed in protests that led to Hasina's removal.

Those marching, mainly Muslim male students, carried Bangladeshi and Palestinian flags, shouting slogans such as "the blood of the martyrs is our power" and "execute Hasina."

More than 1,000 people were killed in the riots, which stemmed from anti-government protests sparked by the introduction of government quotas for public-sector jobs.

Bangladeshi students demand India return ex-PM to stand trial

Hasina was forced to flee to neighboring India on August 5, just before her official residence was stormed.

After several days of violence, Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, was selected to lead an interim government in an effort to restore stability, enact reforms and organize new elections.

The summer riots were the most violent in the country since it gained independence from Pakistan in 1971.

The country's chief election commissioner, chief justice, central bank governor and police chief were among those forced out of office over the past several weeks.

Bangladesh's students are calling for Hasina and her associates to be returned from India to stand trial for last month's killings. 

A massive crowd of people march in protest, many waving Bangladeshi and Palestinian flags, in the streets of Dhakar, Bangladesh
Tens of thousands of Bangladeshi students marched through the streets of Dhakar to commemorate those who died in recent protests Image: Rajib Dhar/AP/picture alliance

Interim PM says India 'exaggerating' claims of Hindus being targeted

Muslims in the country are angered by the fact that India, with which Bangladesh shares a 4,096-kilometer (2,545-mile) border, has provided safe harbor for Hasina.

There were also chants of "warnings" to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a Hindu nationalist.

Indian PM Modi has voiced concern over the reported targeting of Bangladesh's Hindu minority, something Yunus said was being "exaggerated" by Modi.

Hasina, for her part, has demanded "justice" and called for investigations into those who started the summer riots and the punishment of rioters, vandals and killers.

UN launches fact-finding mission

Sheikh Hasina governed Bangladesh for 15 years, making her the country's longest-serving PM ever. Her reelection to a fourth consecutive term in January was controversial, with major opposition parties boycotting the vote.

On Friday, the United Nations Human Rights Office announced that it had launched a fact-finding mission to Bangladesh to investigate rights violations during the uprising. The mission was launched at the request of the interim government. 

On Thursday, interim PM Yunus told reporters in Dhaka that he and the people of Bangladesh had the backing of 197 world leaders and 97 Nobel laureates.

Seeking justice for protesters killed by Bangladesh police

js/jcg (AP, Reuters)