Last updated on August 29th, 2024 at 11:09 pm
Dhaka, Bangladesh – Violent clashes broke out on Sunday night between students and Ansar members near the Secretariat in Dhaka. According to the Dhaka Tribune, the confrontation left both sides injured. The violence started after 9 pm, sending a chaotic series of chases and skirmishes for which police intervention was required to restore order.
Students Protest Against Ansar Members
The clashes followed the gathering of Dhaka University students at Raju Memorial Sculpture, who made plans to march towards the Secretariat. Demonstrating against Ansar members as “agents of autocracy,” the students were reacting to the news reports that Ansar personnel were detaining Nahid Islam, adviser in the interim government, and other student leaders.
Student Protest Coordinator Hasnat Abdullah took to Facebook, complaining that former Ansar director general Maj Gen AKM Aminul Haque was keeping the blockade at Secretariat despite demands put forward by protesting Ansar members already having been met. He called for students to gather at Raju Memorial Sculpture, and criticised the Ansar force in blocking their way.
Background of the Dispute
The unrest has its roots in recent protests by the members of Ansar, who were protesting for the nationalization of their jobs. Those protests ended earlier in the day following assurances from Lt Gen (Retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, adviser for home affairs in the interim government. But tensions remain high as students and Ansar members clash over political and administrative issues.
Political Links and Further Development
Implicated in the ongoing disputes is one Maj Gen AKM Aminul Haque, elder brother of the former deputy minister of water resources AKM Enamul Haque Shamim. Facebook posts by Hasnat Abdullah reflect the continuing tension, which is a part of the greater political struggle within the country.
