A serious disruption of classes and transportation has been reported from across Bangladesh on Thursday as ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s political party, Awami League, called for a nationwide “lockdown” in protest against her trial over protests which left hundreds dead, news agency AP reported.
Hasina is facing charges of crimes against humanity, which involves a crackdown on student-led protests that ended her 15 year rule in the country. The former Bangladesh prime minister remains in exile in India as of now. A special tribunal in Dhaka is due to announce the date of the verdict against Hasina on Thursday.
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“The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT-BD) is set to go ahead with its scheduled task,” a prosecution team member of the special court said, PTI reported.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, is facing another student-led protest after the administration reportedly cancelled the recruitment of music and physical education teachers in government primary schools.
Several reports suggest protests took place in Bangladesh’s Dhaka University by students and teachers to demand the reinstatement of music and physical education teacher positions in primary education.
In Dhaka and other major cities across Bangladesh, schools shifted to online classes and examinations as public transport witnessed a severe disruption Thursday as the interim government tightened the security across the nation.
The development of Awami League calling for a “lockdown” and students protesting against cancellation of government teaching positions in primary schools has sparked tension in the country, which saw massive protests and killings last year against Hasina-led government.
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus’ office has said that he is due to address the country on Thursday afternoon. Yunus became the interim leader of the country last year, three days after Hasina fled Dhaka for India on August 5, and he has vowed to punish her.
The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) of Bangladesh, which is set to deliver is verdict against Hasina on Thursday, witnessed army troops, paramilitary Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and police in riot gear being deployed to guard the premises. The case against Hasina also involves former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan and former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun.
(with inputs from AP, PTI)
