Students besiege Bangladesh's presidential palace, demand Shahabuddin's resignation

Protesters in Bangladesh have besieged Banga Bhaban, the presidential palace, demanding the resignation of President Mohammed Shahabuddin.

The demonstration is led by the Anti-discrimination Student Movement, which has issued a five-point demand including the president's resignation and the abolition of the 1972 constitution.

The protests intensified following Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's resignation on August 5, 2024, after which she fled to India.

During a rally at Dhaka's central Shaheed Minar earlier on Tuesday, the student group announced their demands, which include the banning of the Awami League's student wing, Bangladesh Chatra League, and the establishment of a new constitution reflective of the current political context.

As the protests escalated later that evening, demonstrators marched towards Banga Bhaban, where they were met with barricades set up by the army.

Outside the presidential palace, protesters chanted slogans, with one stating, “The President is a crony of Hasina's authoritarian government. He must resign immediately.”

Mohammed Shahabuddin, known as Chuppu, is the 16th President of Bangladesh, having been elected unopposed in 2023 under the nomination of the Awami League.

The protesters also demanded that elections held in 2018 and 2024 be declared illegal and that winning Members of Parliament be disqualified.

The protests, primarily led by students, began in July, initially focused on ending a quota system for government jobs.

Following mounting tensions, Sheikh Hasina's resignation resulted in the formation of an interim government led by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus, who was sworn in as head of state on August 8.

Sheikh Hasina's resignation came in early August, following prolonged student protests. She then departed for India, but her challenges have only increased.

The Awami League leader’s challenges have deepened as the United States has cancelled her visa and the United Kingdom has refused her request for asylum.

According to Indian media, upon her arrival in India, Sheikh Hasina's next stop was London, where she was likely to seek political asylum or consider Finland as her next destination.

It was anticipated that Sheikh Hasina would stay at a secure location in India until she received a British visa, allowing her to apply for asylum in the UK. However, Indian media now claim that the newly elected British Prime Minister, Kier Starmer, has declined to grant her asylum upon arrival due to the country's policies.

Indian media also reported that in the meantime, the United States has cancelled Sheikh Hasina's visa. However, there has been no official comment from the US on this matter.