Life in Bangladesh’s capital faced severe disruptions due to escalating protest marches on Monday, causing traffic standstills in key areas and widespread congestion. The protests led to blocked major intersections, creating hardships for commuters, including office-goers, students, and patients who had to walk long distances due to limited public transport. Mobile phone shop owners staged a sit-in at the Karwan Bazar intersection in Dhaka as part of a nationwide shutdown, demanding the postponement of the implementation of the National Equipment Identity Register.
The sit-in by the mobile phone traders, joined by their families, resulted in an indefinite closure of mobile phone shops across the country. Despite a police baton charge on the protesters, the demonstration continued, leading to clashes with law enforcement in various areas. Reports indicated injuries to over a dozen individuals, including police personnel, during the confrontations. Police resorted to tear gas shells, sound grenades, and a water cannon to disperse the protesters, with some being detained while others sought refuge in nearby buildings.
Amid the unrest, the Bangladesh Army and Rapid Action Battalion were deployed to prevent further escalation. Witnesses reported that law enforcers initially asked the traders to vacate the area, resorting to force when they refused. The situation escalated as protesters regrouped and attacked police, resulting in detentions and clashes. Students of Tejgaon College also staged protests, blocking the Farmgate intersection to demand justice for a fellow student who died after a dormitory attack, further adding to the traffic disruptions in the capital.
Leaders and workers of the radical platform Inquilab Moncho gathered at the Shahbagh intersection for a “March for Insaf” programme, seeking the immediate arrest and punishment of those responsible for the killing of their leader. The protests in Bangladesh have been on the rise, contributing to a deteriorating law and order situation since the interim government took office.
