Protesters Clash with Police as Bangladesh’s Political Parties Agree to Pathway for Reform

Major political parties in Bangladesh have signed a plan for political reforms proposed by the interim government as police clashed with protesters who wanted more provisions for the activists who helped oust the previous government.

Police officers fired tear gas and used stun grenades and batons to disperse several hundred protesters outside the national parliament building in the capital Dhaka on Friday. Some of them clashed with police while others vandalised a police vehicle. Witnesses said several people were injured in the clashes.

The protesters described themselves as part of the movement that led to the ouster in August 2024 of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. It came after a 15-year rule that critics said had become increasingly autocratic.

The protesters said they were seeking more guarantees of welfare and other programs for participants in the 2024 movement.