Bangladesh’s President Dissolves Parliament Amidst Student Protests and Political Turmoil

Bangladesh’s President Mohammed Shahabuddin dissolved parliament on Tuesday, fulfilling a key demand of student protesters who led demonstrations resulting in the ousting of longtime ruler Sheikh Hasina.

“The president has dissolved parliament,” Shiplu Zaman, press secretary of President Shahabuddin, said in a statement.

Leaders of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement have proposed an interim government led by Nobel Laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus to address Bangladesh’s ongoing challenges, Dhaka Tribune reported. This announcement was made in a video message released early Tuesday by key student leaders Nahid Islam, Asif Mahmud, and Abu Bakar Mazumdar.

On Monday night, Nahid Islam had announced that an outline for an interim government would be formulated within the next 24 hours, according to Dhaka Tribune. This followed the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who departed Bangladesh after a violent crackdown on demonstrations. The protests, which began against job quotas, escalated into a broader movement demanding Hasina’s removal. Hundreds of people were killed during the crackdown.

As violence continued throughout the night, the student leaders hastened to announce their stance. President Shahabuddin approved the formation of an interim government on Monday night to manage the country’s deteriorating law and order situation.

A meeting at Bangabhaban, the presidential palace, was convened to address the crisis. Attendees included the chiefs of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, political party leaders, and civil society members. The decision to dissolve parliament and form an interim government was confirmed in a press release signed by Muhammad Shiplu Zaman, Assistant Press Secretary of Bangabhaban.

The Army has been tasked with halting vandalism and ensuring law enforcement, which had severely deteriorated after Sheikh Hasina’s departure on Monday afternoon.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced that Tarique Rahman, the party’s acting chairman, would return to the country soon. Speaking to the media on Monday night, Alamgir said, “You all know that our leader, Tarique Rahman, has been unjustly exiled abroad due to false cases. He has fully supported this movement, and we have taken steps to bring him back to the country immediately. Insha’Allah, we will be successful.”

Alamgir also mentioned that BNP leader Begum Khaleda Zia would be released immediately, along with others imprisoned for political reasons. “In the current situation, all political parties, students, and the public will work together to control it,” he stated.

Addressing the nation, Alamgir called for restraint and unity: “We have achieved a great victory, a great success. To maintain this success, let’s show restraint, not act out of anger or hatred, not attack anyone, and not damage any institutions. Especially, let’s not attack our religious minority brothers.”

He emphasized the importance of protecting minorities, stating, “It is our sacred duty to protect them. I urge everyone in our party not to give the opportunity to miscreants to harm others.”

As Bangladesh navigates this period of political transition, the international community watches closely, hoping for a peaceful resolution and stability in the region.