On Tuesday, Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin dissolved the 12th parliament, which was established following the January 7 national election, amid a boycott by opposition parties.
Sheikh Hasina Wazed assumed the role of Prime Minister for an unprecedented fifth term, as all opposition parties had boycotted the election.
The student protesters issued an ultimatum to both the President and the Bangladesh Army, demanding that they refrain from forming an interim government. They set a 3 pm deadline for the dissolution of the parliament.
According to a press release from Bangabhaban, the decision to dissolve the parliament was made after consultations with the chiefs of the three armed forces, various political leaders, civil society representatives, and leaders of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement.
The press release also noted that BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia had been released and that the process to free individuals arrested between July 1 and August is underway, with many already having been released.
Meet Nahid Islam, a young student leader who reshaped the political scenario in Bangladesh
Meanwhile, Nahid Islam, a 26-year-old student, led the protests that resulted in the ousting of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, ending her 15-year rule and forcing her to flee to neighboring India.
In the wake of Hasina’s removal, Bangladesh’s Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman announced on Monday the formation of an interim government following “fruitful” discussions with leaders of major political parties.
Islam, a soft-spoken Sociology student, initially gained prominence as the coordinator of a student movement protesting quotas in government jobs, which eventually escalated into a nationwide campaign to remove Hasina from power, according to Reuters.
Born in Dhaka in 1998 to a teacher, Islam emerged as a key figure in the protests last month after being detained by police along with several other Dhaka University students. The police crackdown aimed to suppress the anti-quota protests, which had turned deadly, resulting in around 300 fatalities.
