The Bangladesh National Party (BNP), the party of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, demonstrated in the capital Dhaka on Wednesday demanding general elections. BNP has demanded elections in December.
Due to these daily demonstrations by various parties and groups, life in Dhaka is becoming chaotic. In Dhaka, which has a population of more than 20 million, there were at least half a dozen demonstrations by various groups on Wednesday alone.
Since the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024, Bangladesh's politics have been in turmoil. Hasina, who has been ruling for 15 years, had to be overthrown due to student-led protests.
Nobel Peace Prize winner Mohammad Yunus, 84, is leading the interim government as chief adviser until elections are held. The interim government has expressed its commitment to hold elections within the month of June 2026. However, BNP has demanded that elections should be held in the coming December.
Life in Dhaka was thrown into disarray on Wednesday by political rallies and protests against resistance, a labor strike and demonstrations to celebrate the release of an Islamist leader from death row. A day after the Supreme Court overturned his death sentence and acquitted him of war crimes, the senior leader was released from a prison in central Dhaka, where his supporters staged a massive rally. The
ing rally led to hours-long traffic jams in the main part of Dhaka. The left-wing parties have said that they will demonstrate against the release of that leader. BNP took out a rally from Ramna Park on Wednesday itself.
Local businessmen have also been affected by the political rally. "All the main roads are blocked during the day," said Zakir Hussain, a businessman from Dhaka, "We have had to change the business hours." I start work at midnight now. The law and order is not good and robberies have become common.'
Locals seem worried even remembering the violence that was created under the guise of protests during the overthrow of the Hasina government last year. They say that political instability and daily demonstrations can turn violent.
"The situation is unimaginable, protests can turn violent at any time," said a 43-year-old housewife. If you are a little late coming home from the office, bad thoughts will come. The government has said that it is constantly disrupting the work due to 'unreasonable demands' and obstacles.
