Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Hasina's Party Calls For Mass Protests In February

NEW DELHI, Jan 29 (Bernama-Sputnik/RIA Novosti) -- Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League party on Wednesday announced a series of programmes in February to protest "persecution" across the country and demand the resignation of the current government, reported Sputnik/RIA Novosti.

Hasina, 77, fled from Bangladesh to India in August 2024 amid student protests that toppled her 16-year rule.

"Awami League announces series of programmes to protest the unprecedented misrule and persecution across the country under Dr Muhammad] Yunus [caretaker Prime Minister), and demand that the illegal, unelected, and unconstitutional, so-called Interim Government immediately resigns," the party said on X.

In particular, the protests will address rising prices, attacks on religious minorities, "false cases" against political activists, and corruption in the country, it said.

The protest activities will begin with the distribution of leaflets from February 1-5, followed by a protest procession and public meeting on February 6, another protest procession and demonstration on February 10, a blockade on February 16 and a nationwide strike on February 18, the party said.

"Any obstruction or violence to foil these programmes would be met with even stricter programmes," the party said.

Protests against the Bangladeshi government's quota system for public jobs erupted in June and escalated at the beginning of August. Clashes between students, police, and government supporters reportedly left hundreds of people dead, Bangladeshi media reported. After Hasina resigned and fled, Nobel laureate Yunus was sworn in as interim prime minister on August 8.

-- BERNAMA-SPUTNIK/RIA NOVOSTI