DHAKA (Oct 17) – Violent clashes erupted outside Bangladesh’s national Parliament complex on Friday after hundreds of protesters opposed to the interim government’s new political charter faced off with police, who responded with teargas, stun grenades, and batons.
The unrest broke out around 1 p.m. at the South Plaza of the Parliament building, where Prime Minister Muhammad Yunus’s interim government was preparing to sign the July National Charter — a document outlining political and constitutional reforms after last year’s Gen Z-led uprising that toppled former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
According to witnesses cited by AP, protesters identifying themselves as relatives and survivors of the July 2024 uprising clashed with police and security forces after demanding that the new charter address their grievances. Many shouted slogans accusing the government of ignoring the sacrifices made during last year’s violent demonstrations that left hundreds dead.
Some protesters reportedly vandalised police vehicles and makeshift tents, while others engaged in scuffles with soldiers deployed at the site. Several people were injured in the ensuing chaos.
On Thursday night, demonstrators under the banner of July Martyrs’ Families and Injured Fighters had gathered near Gate 12 of the Parliament complex and briefly occupied guest seating inside the venue, chanting slogans against the government.
Friday’s signing ceremony — attended by major political parties including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led by Khaleda Zia — went ahead under heavy security. The BNP and eight other parties have agreed to sign the charter, while Hasina’s Awami League, now banned, was excluded from the consultations.
The July National Charter sets out plans for constitutional amendments, new legal frameworks, and political restructuring under the supervision of a National Consensus Commission. The Yunus administration says it marks a new phase in Bangladesh’s democratic transition.
However, critics say the charter lacks mechanisms for justice and rehabilitation for those injured or bereaved in the 2024 uprising.
Sheikh Hasina, ousted in August 2024 and now living in exile in India, faces charges of crimes against humanity in absentia before the International Crimes Tribunal.
Yunus has pledged to hold national elections in February 2026, but uncertainty remains over whether the process will be considered legitimate without Hasina’s party and its allies participating.