Last updated on August 29th, 2024 at 10:06 pm
Dhaka: A retired judge of Bangladesh’s Supreme Court, Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik, was detained late Friday allegedly while attempting to flee the country via the northeastern Sylhet frontier with India. Border Guard Bangladesh – BGB confirmed the detention as saying that Manik was intercepted at the Kanaighat border as he tried to cross into India.
Key Developments in Bangladesh’s Political Crisis
The arrest of the former chief judge of the appellate division is seen amidst the unprecedented political crisis in Bangladesh since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on August 5. The fallen prime minister ran into India as violent protests exploded over the government job quota, killing more than 500 people since mid-July. The back-to-back chaos in the country called for Bangladesh Army to intervene. The Bangladesh Army jumped into the breach to fill a power vacuum which had been created by the fall of the government.
High-Profile Arrests After Fall of Govt.
Hours ahead of Manik’s detention, the government arrested ruling Awami League leader ASM Firoz from his home. The detentions are part of a wider crackdown by the government and army; some dozen top officials of the fallen administration including ministers and military officers have been detained so far. Most of those detained have been leaders of Awami League led by Sheikh Hasina along with its political allies.
Among the detained include former law minister Anisul Huq, former foreign minister Hassan Mahmud, and ex-premier adviser Salman F Rahman. The detentions also include those of military figures such as sacked major general Ziaul Hassan and former chairman of Chittagong Port Authority, rear admiral Mohammad Sohail.
Interim Government and Rising Tensions
With tensions escalating, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus swore in on August 8 as the Chief Adviser of the interim government. The situation is quite explosive and has seen the Bangladesh Army declare that a number of hundred Awami League leaders and supporters have been accommodated in cantonments because of threatening calls received by them.
Doubtful Future for Bangladesh
With this civil political turmoil, Bangladesh’s future thus faces a lot of risks. As the crisis is intensifying, the whole world is looking with attention at what is happening in the country amidst widespread fear that further unrest may be expected. Other reasons for uncertainty and tension include the arrest and detention of important political figures. An example of such an arrest involves the case of Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik not so long ago.
