Fresh clashes have broken out across Bangladesh as supporters of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina staged widespread protests against an ongoing trial targeting senior members of her party over alleged abuses during her time in power.
Demonstrations by the Awami League turned violent in several cities, including Dhaka and Chittagong, where protesters clashed with security forces, set fires, and blocked major roads. The party’s members accuse the interim government of using the courts as a political weapon to intimidate and silence Hasina’s loyalists.
According to protesters, the charges, related to the crackdown on opponents and restrictions on civil liberties during Hasina’s rule, are “excessive and politically motivated.” They are calling for the immediate release of all detained party officials and for the suspension of what they describe as a “vengeful, unfair trial.”
The interim government, however, insists the legal actions stem from credible allegations of human rights violations, including the suppression of opposition groups while Hasina was in office. Security agencies have vowed to respond firmly to “any attempt to incite unrest.”
The situation has heightened tensions nationwide, with fears that the escalating violence could jeopardize preparations for the upcoming national elections expected next month.