Thousands of people, led by student activists, gathered in Dhaka on Tuesday to demand the prosecution of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and those responsible for the mass casualties during a July uprising against her government.
The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement spearheaded the "March for Unity," which took place at the Central Shaheed Minar, a national landmark. Demonstrators called for Hasina's trial and the dissolution of her Awami League party.
Hasina fled to India on August 5 following weeks of unrest, during which authorities reported hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries allegedly ordered by her government. The uprising marked the end of her 15-year tenure as Bangladesh's longest-serving prime minister. Hasina had started her fourth consecutive term in January after an election boycotted by major opposition parties.
Bangladesh formally requested Hasina's extradition from India last week. She faces numerous court cases, including charges of crimes against humanity for the deaths of protesters.
"Since August 5, we have no more enemies in Bangladesh. Our only enemy is the Awami League," said Hasnat Abdullah, convener of the student movement, addressing the demonstrators.
Protesters also pressed the interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, to issue a formal proclamation by January 15 recounting the events of the July uprising.
Student leaders demanded that the proclamation include two major reforms: the drafting of a new constitution to replace the 1972 charter enacted under Hasina's father, and an official ban on the Awami League party.
The International Crimes Tribunal in Dhaka has issued arrest warrants for Hasina and her close allies. The government has also sought assistance from Interpol to secure her arrest.
From the U.S., Hasina's son, Sajeeb Wazed, dismissed the charges as a "political witch hunt" and questioned the tribunal's credibility.
In response, the interim government vowed to prosecute Hasina and members of her administration for alleged crimes related to the protester deaths. They have also invited the United Nations to aid in investigating the killings.
Hasina has called for an independent investigation, suggesting that other groups beyond state security forces may have been involved in the violence.
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