NEW DELHI – The opposition in Bangladesh is holding rallies in the capital city of Dhaka, demanding that the government resign and new elections are held, Zahir Uddin Swapan, a spokesman for the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led by former prime minister Khaleda Zia, said yesterday.
“Our main demand is that (Prime Minister) Sheikh Hasina resigns, Parliament dissolves and allows a neutral interim government to intervene to hold free and fair elections,” Swapan said, reported Sputnik, as quoted by Dhaka Tribune news agency.
About 200,000 people joined yesterday’s rally, the BNP spokesman added.
The venue of the rally could not accommodate more than 30,000 people, the media said, quoting police, adding that the event was peaceful, however special forces teams, anti-terrorism units and canine units were on standby.
On December 6, a number of Western embassies in Bangladesh issued a joint statement calling on the country to allow free expression, peaceful assembly and fair elections.
On December 9, the White House also called on the Bangladeshi government to investigate reports of violence against journalists and human rights activists ahead of the opposition protest. – Bernama, December 11, 2022
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