File picture of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.
| Photo Credit: AP
Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin on Tuesday (August 6, 2024) dissolved the 12th Parliament, formed through the January 7 national election, and assured the country that fresh elections will be held as soon as possible. This comes a day after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stepped down after 15 straight years in power and fled the country, following a crackdown on widespread protests.
The key coordinators of Students Against Discrimination, the group that spearheaded the anti-government protests, proposed the name of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus to head an interim government. Mr. Yunus has given his consent to take on the responsibility, according to Nahid Islam, a protest coordinator.
Bangladesh protests: Follow LIVE updates on August 06, 2024
The decision to dissolve Parliament was taken following the President’s discussions with the three chiefs of staff of Bangladesh’s armed forces, the leaders of different political parties, civil society representatives, and the leaders of the students movement, according to a statement issued from Bangabhaban, the official residence of the President.
The statement added that the head of the main Opposition party had been released from prison. “[Bangladesh Nationalist Party] BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia was freed. The process to release those arrested between July 1 and August [5] has started, and many have already been released,” it added.
Street celebrations
The streets of Dhaka were filled with crowds holding rallies and chanting in support of their respective parties on Tuesday. The central offices of the BNP and the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami were also bustling, with leaders arriving from different parts of the country.
In the absence of traffic police, students and volunteers took charge of traffic management in various parts of the capital and other districts.
Sohel Rana, the Additional Deputy Inspector General of Bangladesh Police, said that the perpetrators involved in the killing of students and civilians would be arrested and face legal action. “Following the victory of students and people, I am sure that the new government will arrest the culprits and take appropriate legal actions against them,” he said in a statement.
Political arrests and releases
Many former Ministers, including former Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud, MPs, and other leaders of the Awami League and its affiliates were stopped and arrested at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport while attempting to leave the country.
The families of political prisoners secretly jailed under the Awami League government gathered in front of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) headquarters, and were seen waiting for news of their relatives, as some of those who had been missing were released on Tuesday. Former Army Brigadier General Abdullahil Aman Azmi, the second son of the late Jamaat-e-Islami leader Ghulam Azam was released, along with Mir Ahmad Bin Quasem, the younger son of executed Jamaat-e-Islami leader Mir Quasem Ali.
The Bangladesh Army made a major reshuffle in its top posts, with Maj. Gen. Ziaul Ahsan, popularly known as Major Zia, being relieved from service, while some others were reassigned.
Attacks on minorities
Some businesses and homes owned by Hindus, a minority community in Bangladesh, have reportedly been attacked in certain areas. On Tuesday, European Union diplomats in Bangladesh expressed their “serious concern” about the reports of attacks on minority communities. However, in many locations, leaders from the BNP, Jamaat and other political parties were seen personally standing guard in front of Hindu temples to protect them from potential attacks.
Monzurul Islam, president of the Jamaat-e-Islaami student wing Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir, told The Hindu that the party does not consider any group to be a minority or majority in the country; rather, they believe that all people in the country are equal. “Those who want to attack the homes and temples of Hindu people are attempting to make the mass protests controversial,” Mr. Islam said.
“We have instructed our activists and leaders to protect the temples and homes of the Hindu community, and many have stood guard throughout the night to ensure their safety,” he added.
Rabiul Alam is a freelance journalist based in Dhaka.
