Bangladesh has once again been rocked by violence, with the latest incident occurring in the capital city, Dhaka. The clashes broke out between students and members of the paramilitary force, Ansar, leaving over 50 people injured, according to local media reports from the Dhaka Tribune.
The Ansar members, who are part of the Village Defense Force, had been protesting for the regularization of their jobs for the past two days. The interim government responded positively to their demands, leading the Ansar members to call off their protest on Sunday morning. However, this decision sparked protests from student unions.
Hundreds of students from Dhaka University organized a march from the Raju Memorial Sculpture to the Secretariat in response. The march was blocked by Ansar members, leading to heightened tensions. The situation escalated when student leader Nahid Islam, who is also an advisor in the interim government, and several other students were detained.
As tensions rose, the situation turned violent after 9 PM on Sunday, with both sides reportedly hurling stones at each other. Local media sources confirmed that the police and army were deployed to control the situation.
This violence comes shortly after recent protests over reservation issues, which led to widespread unrest across Bangladesh, claiming the lives of hundreds. The situation eventually forced Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resign and seek temporary asylum in India. In her absence, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus has taken charge as the leader of the interim government.
