Protesters staged demonstrations in Dhaka and elsewhere in the country on Tuesday, demanding the resignation of President Mohammed Shahabuddin over his comment regarding the resignation of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina amid a student-led mass uprising on August 5.
Some of the protesters said they would continue their protest until the president stepped down.
In Dhaka, group of protesters staged demonstration in front of the Bangabhaban on Tuesday demanding the removal of President Mohammed Sahabuddin.
Protesters under the banner of Shadhinota-Shorbobhoumotto Rokkha Committee (SHAROC) started their march towards Bangabhaban pm from Raju Sculpture at Dhaka University at 12 pm. They faced police obstruction near the High Court Mazar intersection but managed to advance up to Bangabhaban.
They attempted to stage a sit-in inside Bangabhaban but the members of law enforcement agencies barred them from going there.The demonstrators then held a rally outside Bangabhaban, where they delivered speeches for half an hour.
They announced that if their demands are not met, they will gather near Bangabhaban again at 4 pm on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, under the banner of “Anti-discrimination Doctors and Students Council”, protesters formed a human chain in front of the Central Shaheed Minar this afternoon with the same demands.
The protesters at the programme said the president made self-contradictory comments over the resignation of Sheikh Hasina in separate instances so he lost the moral ground to remain as the president.
Another group named Raktim July 24, which advocates for the welfare of families affected by recent mass uprising, organised a separate sit-in with the some injured victims, expressing solidarity with the demand for the President’s removal.
Protests also spread to Barishal, where students from various educational institutions, including Barisal University, rallied against Shahabuddin’s comments.
In Rangpur, students from multiple institutions held a protest rally late Monday night, with demonstrators marching through several key areas before holding a final rally in front of Begum Rokeya University’s main gate.
On Monday, Hasnat Abdullah, a coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, shared a poster on Facebook late Monday night announcing the mass gathering programme after the President’s remarks on ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation letter.
In a recent interview with Matiur Rahman Chowdhury, editor of The Daily Manab Zamin, President Mohammed Shahabuddin mentioned that he heard Sheikh Hasina resigned from her position as Prime Minister; however, he has no documentary evidence to confirm this, including any resignation letter.
He stated, "I have failed to obtain the resignation letter despite numerous attempts. Perhaps she did not get the time."
This conversation was published in the newspaper's political magazine, “Janatar Chokh,” on Sunday.
Sheikh Hasina sought refuge in India on August 5 amid an unprecedented mass uprising.
