Tens of thousands of supporters of Bangladesh’s main opposition rallied in Dhaka to protest against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government and call new elections.
Protesters rallied Saturday at Golapbagh camp, where crowds chanted “Sheikh Hasina is a vote thief” amid rising tensions in Bangladesh’s capital.
The demonstration comes days after security forces stormed the headquarters of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Tuesday. At least one user was killed and dozens more injured in the raid.
Anti-government protests have erupted across the country in recent months, sparked by power cuts and increases in the value of fuel. The prime minister rejected calls for his resignation.
A BNP official said about 200,000 more people had joined the mid-morning demonstration on Saturday. Dhaka Metropolitan Police spokesman Faruq Ahmed rejected the claim, saying the site may not accommodate more than 30,000 people.
“Our main call is for Sheikh Hasina to step down and for parliament to be dissolved and allow an impartial interim government to interfere in maintaining free elections,” BNP spokesman Zahiruddin Swapan said.
The protests were peaceful, but SWAT teams, counterterrorism teams and dog squads were prepared, Ahmed said. Police have also set up checkpoints on roads leading into the city and have increased security there.
BNP officials accused the government of launching an unofficial shipping strike in an attempt to prevent others from joining the demonstration.
The demonstration comes a day after two BNP leaders were arrested on charges of incitement to violence. More than 2,000 activists and supporters of opposition parties have been arrested since 30 November to prevent them from attending the demonstration.
Western governments, the United Nations, and human rights organizations have raised considerations about the political climate and human rights violations in Bangladesh.
Independent observers have reported that the last two general elections were rigged by Hasina’s government, in losses for the BNP.
On Tuesday, 15 Western embassies issued a joint set calling on Bangladesh to allow freedom of expression, nonviolent gatherings and fair elections. The UN did something similar a day later.
Amnesty International’s Yamini Mishra said this week’s violence showed that the government “has very little respect for the sanctity of human life and sends a chilling message that those who dare to exercise their human rights will suffer terrible consequences. “