Bangladesh is witnessing renewed unrest as government employees take to the streets with a key demand at a sensitive political moment. With national elections approaching and the interim government nearing the end of its term, protests over the ninth pay scale have escalated into clashes with police in Dhaka.
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On Friday, protesting government employees staged a sit-in demonstration in front of Jamuna, the residence of Muhammad Yunus, chief adviser of Bangladesh’s interim government. When police attempted to remove them, repeated clashes broke out between the protesters and law enforcement. Police fired tear gas shells, water cannons, and sound grenades to disperse the crowd, and several protesters were detained.
Protests spread across key Dhaka locations
Earlier in the day, a section of protesters gathered at Shahbag in Dhaka. As they began marching towards Yunus’s residence, police obstructed their movement. Around 12:30 PM, several protesters began a sit-in demonstration at the Intercontinental intersection, leading to road blockades and disruption of vehicular movement. Police later removed the protesters from the area and restored normal traffic conditions.
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Section 144 imposed amid rising tensions
The protests are taking place just days before Bangladesh’s elections, with the interim government yet to issue any official statement on the matter. According to the latest reports, Section 144 has been imposed in the area adjacent to Yunus’s residence, prohibiting any public gatherings. The measure was enforced following the escalation of protests and concerns over law and order in the area.
