Protesters demand home adviser’s resignation, face police blockade

NN Online:

Police obstructed a student-led protest march towards the secretariat demanding the resignation of Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury on Monday afternoon.

The mass march began at 2:30pm on Monday from the Central Shaheed Minar. As the protesters moved past TSC and headed toward the home affairs ministry, police blocked them in front of the Sikhha Bhaban. A scuffle ensued between the students and police as they attempted to continue their march.

Protesters said after the mass uprising, they had hoped for a new Bangladesh, but that hope was never realised. Given the rising violence against women, they said, staying at home is no longer an option—nor does staying at home guarantee safety. This is why they took to the streets in protest.

They further claimed that the home adviser has failed to ensure public safety. “Just yesterday, someone was shot in front of their house. The police are not fulfilling their responsibilities, and in this situation, no one—especially women—is safe,” they said. They demanded that the home adviser apologise to the nation and resign.

Earlier, at around 2:15pm, a brief gathering was held at the Central Shaheed Minar. The students’ key demands included the resignation of the home affairs adviser for failing to ensure public safety, effective measures to curb the ongoing incidents of rape and violence against women, immediate justice for all cases of sexual violence, and necessary reforms to relevant laws.